Washington mum-of-four diagnosed with terminal cancer fundraising for 'amazing' NHS staff

Stacey Pentland was alone and separated from her family when she received the worst news of her life – that she had terminal cancer.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the 35-year-old mum didn’t have the much-needed support of a loved one by her side and said the compassionate nurses and doctors at Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, went above and beyond to console her and became ‘like family’.

Now, as she gets ready to start chemotherapy treatment next week, the mum-of-four has set up a Go Fund Me page with the hopes of giving back to the people who supported her during her darkest hours.

Stacey, who grew up in Washington but moved to Newcastle five years ago, said: “Alone in hospital in the middle of the pandemic, not being able to see my family or friends, dealing with the fact I’m dying was heartbreaking.

“The thought of having to tell my beautiful children I’m terminally ill was literally breaking my heart.

“The nurses and staff in the Freeman became like my family and showed me so much love and support right from the start.

“I would love to raise some money to give a little bit back. I can’t but into words how grateful I am [for] our NHS staff.”

And the mum-of-four has been overwhelmed by the response so far, with more than £500 being donated in just five days.

Stacey, who worked as a barber, says she was the fittest and most content she had been in her life when tragedy struck.

One evening she suffered a pain in her shoulder, which felt like a trapped nerve, but when she woke up in the early hours with stomach pain Stacey feared something was wrong with her gallbladder.

After speaking to 111, Stacey, who is mum to Chloe, 19, Sophie, 17, Geordie, 13, and Anthony (AJ) 11, was taken to hospital in an ambulance and follow a number of MRI scans she received the devastating news she had cancer.

And the following day, doctors told Stacey the cancer had developed in her rectum and spread to her bowel, stomach, lungs and lymph nodes – with the devastating blow that it was terminal.

Stacey, who attended Donwell Primary School and Usworth Secondary School in Washington, is due to begin chemotherapy next week and doctors hope if it goes well the mum-of-four will have 36 months with her children.

Holding back tears, Stacey added: “I don’t care that I’m going to lose my hair. They can take every limb away from me, as long as I have my head and my heart, I don’t want my children to have a day without me.”

To donate to the Go Fund Me page click here.

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