FORMER Stroud nurse Tessa Elam has now spent almost two weeks in Mexico where she has travelled in order to receive treatment for a rare form of liver cancer.

Tessa, 72, who hates flying, took a ten-and-a-half-hour flight to San Diego, California, in order to receive treatment that is not available in the UK at San Diego Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico which is not available in the UK.

Less than two months ago she received the news that she had secondary metastatic liver cancer and as a result, probably only has a few months left.

This prompted her family to find alternative treatments, which eventually led Tessa and her eldest son, Mark Playne, to Mexico.

According to Mark it is still early days and the focus has primarily been on preparing Tessa’s body for the treatment.

“Mum is suffering from an aggressive cancer which has left her with severe weight loss and only just able to walk,” said Mark who, alongside his brother Miles and sister Clare, has so far raised £22,000 to pay for the treatment, which is expected to cost £60,000.

“A mixture of the flight, the time difference and climate has meant mum has needed a while to recover before the serious, heavier treatments can start.

“Then, because mum has such an aggressive cancer with a large tumour, she will have a special type of chemotherapy known as IPT– insulin potentiated therapy.”

So far the family has enough to pay for two weeks of treatment.

An appeal launched by the Stroud News & Journal to help pay for Tessa’s treatment has resulted in £500 being donated to the SNJ office in Lansdown.

According to the family, the fundraising website has also seen an increase in donations, with almost £1,500 being donated in the last week, bringing the total to £2,640.

An incredible amount has been raised in such a short period but there is still a long way to go, so please continue to drop off any donations, however small, at the SNJ office.

Cheques should be made payable to Clare Playne.