A university lecturer has launched a desperate bid to try to raise £15,000 for a futuristic cancer treatment not available on the NHS.
Mum-of-two Jules Pettitt has been told she has a less than one in three chance of surviving in the next five years.
She was first diagnosed with cervical cancer nearly two years ago and her treatment was initially successful, but in May she was told it had spread.
Now, the senior academic hopes to go to Munich for a new remedy, known as dendritic cell therapy, where immune cells are harvested and taught to recognise the tumours.
When the cells are reintroduced to the body, they show the rest of the immune system how to kill the cancerous cells before they can attach to vital organs.
Ms Pettitt from Portsmouth said: “The impact has been massive. I think to start with I cried for a whole month.
“You are suddenly faced with your own mortality, “I am a single mum, my youngest, Oscar, is 24 and he does not need this happening to him.
"He is my principal carer, and he is picking up so much, I need to make sure family members are there for my boys.
"I am on statutory sick pay; I am probably never going to work again."
Ms Pettitt was a senior lecturer in creative technologies at the University of Portsmouth for 20 years.
For the past two years she has been an associate lecturer in CGI and visual effects at Solent University.
She was originally diagnosed in January 2023 after being rushed to hospital because one of the tumours in her cervix ruptured.
READ MORE: £100,000 raised in memory of brave teen to fund vital childhood cancer research
She then underwent an “intensive” course of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy which “obliterated” the cancer cells in her cervix and abdomen.
Brachytherapy is an internal radiation treatment where rods are placed in the body to target tumours and it left Ms Pettitt bed-bound for four days.
Her final treatment was in April 2023, and since then she has had three-monthly scans to check for any recurrence.
It was in May this year cancerous lymph nodes were found in her chest.
Ms Pettitt said that because the cancer has metastasised, she has only been offered radiotherapy and a one-off immunotherapy treatment on the NHS which would treat specific tumours but would not stop the cancer reoccurring.
She has launched a GoFundMe, which has already raised nearly £5,000, for her to travel to Germany and undergo this treatment.
"It is going to be my best shot at inhibiting the life of the cancer microbes," she said.
"At least it means there is something rather than just waiting for the cancer to spread.
"I had to pick myself up off the floor and look at research papers.
"Now I have got a ray of hope, it might buy me some time."
Nine months before her diagnosis she had requested a smear test but was told by the practice nurse at her GP surgery that she wasn't due to have one for three years.
This is because over 50s are only offered a check every five years.
Changes to her discharge, a symptom of cervical cancer, were also put down to Ms Pettitt starting hormone replacement therapy for the menopause.
She wishes she had not been “dissuaded” from having the smear test and called for all women to be checked every two years.
She said: "For cervical cancer, considering there is so little treatment, smear tests should be compulsory every two years.
"Changing things, like making smear tests every five years was asking for trouble."
Visit www.gofundme.com/f/44est-please-help-me-raise-funds-for-cancer-treatment to support Jules.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here