The Juli Spendley Foundation

• Foundation bids to give Verwood mum one more year

  6:00pm Tuesday 14th September 2010
  
  By Nicky Findley
  
  AS a former health visitor and charity fundraiser Juli Spendley was always keen to help others – but now she’s the one in need of help.
  
  The 47-year-old mother of three was diagnosed with neuro-endocrine cancer – a rare, slow-growing nerve- tissue disease – this time last year.
  
  “I’ve always been fit and healthy. I didn’t smoke or drink – I was happy but I developed a dry cough and started to get a pain in my jaw and hip,” says Juli, who lives with her family in Verwood.
  
  “I saw various doctors throughout the year but it’s so hard to detect and so rare they don’t know what they’re looking for.”
  
  The condition makes up just one per cent of cancer diagnoses in the UK and took a special scan to pick up the neuro-endocrine tumours around Juli’s lungs, which had also spread to her liver and bones.
  “They gave me six months. My friends and family were so devastated,” she said.
  
  Although Juli’s condition is terminal, there is a new treatment available which could buy her more time.
  The Royal Free Hospital in London is pioneering a targeted treatment called Radionuclide Therapy.
  
  “It has a really great success rate at giving terminal patients another two years,” explains Juli. “In my case it would be a year. But that’s a long time when you feel it’s all going to fall apart.”
  
  Although Juli is eligible for this treatment, the Dorset PCT initially turned down funding. Juli’s doctors hope to appeal against this decision following her course of chemotherapy.
  
  In the meantime, friends and family are helping to raise the £24,000 needed through The Juli Spendley Foundation.
  
  Juli adds: “It is also to help others like myself who have been denied funding for treatment that could prolong their lives and to promote awareness of the condition so no one has to experience the same difficulties I have.”
  
  Tickets for a fundraising ball in aid of the foundation this Saturday, September 18, have already sold out but auction items will be listed on the website.
  
  For more information visit the julispendleyfound ation.net.
  
  http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk