Guest Blog – One In A Million

This week’s guest blog comes from easyfundraising member Dawn Green.

“My name is Dawn Green and I would like to share with you how being diagnosed with an incurable cancer has changed my life in more ways than one.

In Feb 2008 I was diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer and given just  three months to live. The doctors explained that this was not a common cancer, in fact it was an extremely rare cancer affecting approximately one in a million people.

One in a million -how on earth had that happened? With odds like that I would have much preferred a lottery win.

Life Changing

But I hadn’t won the lottery. I had cancer.

As a then single mum with 2 young daughters to be there for, my whole world crashed around my ankles as I heard those devastating words “I’m sorry there is nothing more we can do for you”.  I set about preparing for my funeral, even choosing my funeral song and booked what I thought would be our last family holiday to Disneyland Paris.

A Glimmer of Hope

But in the midst of all this, a glimmer of hope. After some research on the internet, I found that there were treatment options and decided to pursue them.

Here I am almost four years later, still here still fighting and most importantly still surviving. My ordeal made me realise that there simply was not enough information in the UK with regards to this type of cancer and certainly not enough emotional support for fellow survivors, so I set about to change that.

A new charity is born

In Sept 2011 Pseudomyxoma survivor was born and I became the CEO of my very own UK registered charity, something I never thought I would live to say.  The aims are to provide emotional and practical support to anyone faced with this rare disease, to offer practical advice and to empower patients worldwide.

Together with a lady in America called Leigh Ann Matthews whose husband is a fellow survivor and who has become one of my best friends despite us never having met, we run a hugely successful online support group. In the UK I also work tirelessly at running the charity and I am always looking for help and support.

Resources like easyfundraising have given the charity a world of ideas and tools to  continue its development from being a dream to a reality.

I truly believe in positive thinking and while ever I am well enough to do so, I want to give back as much as I can to help people face this disease with dignity and knowledge.

Whenever your life is filled with rain clouds look a little closer because you may just find a rainbow!”


If you would like to help Dawn and raise funds for Pseudomyxoma Survivor through easyfundraising, click here