£3,000 gift of life for cancer sufferer Karen

Oct 23 2007 by Liz Hands, The Journal

A MOTHER hoping for a life-extending drug received a £3,000 helping hand from an anonymous donor yesterday.

Karen Gault, 43, is planning to start round one in a nine-treatment series of the cancer drug Avastin, next week.

However, the drug is not approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for NHS doctors to prescribe.

While the Gaults, who have a three-year-old daughter Grace, have applied as an exceptional case to their local health trust, they felt Karen’s time was running out so their only choice was to privately fund the £25,000 treatment.

Karen and Paul turned for help to their friends, family, colleagues and their church – the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in North Jesmond Avenue, Jesmond, last month.

But Paul was amazed last night when Rev Michael Whalen called with the good news – someone had anonymously donated £3,000.

Paul said: “It’s just amazing, really phenomenal.”

Karen’s colleagues have also managed to raise almost £8,000 and hope that will be almost £10,000 by Christmas.

Karen, who had to retire from the Business Services Authority branch of the NHS in September due to her treatment, added: “There’s nothing I can do to show my appreciation.”

Paul also hopes with the help of his colleagues to have raised another £5,000 from a 60-mile bike ride.