LAURA Fischer-Beards was given just months to live after being disgnosed with an inoperable brain tumour last year at the age of just 37.
But the now 38-year-old mother-of-three from Berkswell refused to give up on life for the sake of her husband Mark and three young children, Sebastian, Elliot and Henry.
British doctors had written the nurse off.
But she discovered a glimmer of hope in the form of pioneering brain surgery in America that costs £80,000 but that could extend her life by up to 15 years.
And now she is recovering in a Chicago hospital after what has been billed a successful operation which could give her the chance to see her beloved children grow up.
It was a choice of giving up or fighting and I am not a defeatist.” she said.
“I couldn’t give up when I have three young children who need me.
“Anyone in my position would do the same and fight as hard as they could to stay alive.
“It was a risk and I was really scared because I had to stay awake throughout the surgery so they could check my brain was functioning normally.
“But you do what you have to do to survive.”
Laura was diagnosed with her inoperable tumour at the age of just 37.
She was told the tumour was benign but that it was too deep within her brain to be operable.
Surgeons carried out a biopsy to establish what sort of tumour she was suffering from and during the procedure she suffered a stroke.
This left her paralysed down her right side, unable to speak and unable to recognise her family.
After months of recovery from the stroke, she thought her life was returning to normal.
But she was then given the terrible news the tumour had become malignant and that it was growing.
She started chemotherapy in an attempt to stabilise the tumour and she looked into involvement in clinical trials.
But these options failed which is when she truend to the pioneering treatment in the US as her ‘final throw of the dice’.
Laura’s family, friends and loved ones have now launched a fundraising campaign to help with the costs of the £80,000 life-changing operation.
They started out with a £3,000 target to help fund the operation – and have already reached over £10,000.
But they are appealing for readers to dig deep and help donate whatever they can, large or small, to help cover the costs.
To donate or keep up to date with the running total, go to the campaign’s Yimby page at https://www.justgiving.com/yimby/lfb
There is a also a Facebook page set up for Laura which can be found by searching for #onebravemummy.
Laura Fischer-Beards with her husband Mark and children, Sebastian, Elliot and Henry was diagnosed with a brain tumour after developing headaches in August 2012.
