Terminal Cancer Mum's Desperate Bid to Witness Daughter's High School Start

A Scottish mum with terminal cancer is desperately trying to buy more time to see her daughter start high school. Michelle Gemmell, 39, from Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, has been told there is no further treatment available for her in the UK, but a procedure abroad could give her precious extra months with her children. The mum-of-three was first diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in late 2021 when she discovered a lump while getting changed after taking her daughters swimming. She underwent gruelling chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy and, in January 2023, was given the all-clear. For two years, life returned to normal for Michelle, her husband Darren and their three girls – Zara, 11, Paige, 9, and six-year-old Sophia. In June 2024, after months of breathlessness, pain and sleepless nights, Michelle was given the news that the cancer had returned. Then on Hogmanay, while at a party, Michelle began to feel breathless. When she went into hospital on January 7, she was told the illness had spread and was now terminal. Michelle said: “At first I couldn’t understand. I had just been on holiday, dancing with my kids and in seconds everything was taken away from me. “My head felt like mashed potatoes, everyone around me was really emotional too so I had to hold it together for them. “Even the staff were devastated. They have been by my side for so long, they are like family. “My mum was also with me when I got the news and she was heartbroken. “She said, ‘I would take this away for you if I could’. “I was told that I was going to be on treatment for life until there was nothing else that worked for me.” Determined to fight on for her family, Michelle began researching alternative options and discovered a procedure available in Germany called Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE), which targets tumours directly. While it will not cure her cancer, it could control the growth and give her more time with her children. Michelle said: “I’ve still got a bit of fight in me yet – I have to for my girls. “My oldest is starting high school in August. My middle one is obsessed with dancing and gymnastics and has shows coming up. They need their mum there. “My youngest is my wee baby. She’s getting more clingy and knows something is going on. It just breaks my heart not knowing how long I’ll be here.” Secondary breast cancer, also known as metastatic, advanced or stage 4 breast cancer, is the main cause of deaths from the illness. There is currently no cure and treatment is given to manage the symptoms. It affects an estimated 61,000 people across the UK, including around 4,000 in Scotland. Michelle is aware the treatment – which is only available on the NHS in Scotland for liver cancer – will not reverse the impact of the condition. But she says extra time with her family would be “a blessing”. She said: “Extra time would mean everything to us. It doesn’t matter how much time it is – every day is precious. “It’s life or death. It means my kids won’t have to navigate a world without me.” “Extra time would mean everything to us. It doesn’t matter how much time it is – every day is precious.” Each trip to Frankfurt costs around £5,000, covering the procedure, travel and accommodation for two. Michelle may require up to 10 sessions, bringing the total cost to £50,000. A fundraiser has been launched to help Michelle access the treatment and spend as much time as possible with her family. Despite only being launched on January 14 the fundraiser has already hit more than £30,000.