Dying mother given months to live saved by ex-husband's new wife
A woman who was told four months ago by doctors that nothing could be done to treat her Stage Four cervical cancer has just been saved by an unlikely source -- her ex-husband's new wife.
The mother of two, Nicola Hitchen, was originally admitted to a hospital in March after reportedly suffering abdominal pains and was diagnosed with a pelvic abscess and sepsis shortly after.
But later tests revealed that the 41-year-old from Northwest England had a cancerous tumor in her cervix, which her doctors said was terminal.
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But, instead of giving up, Hitchen turned to a pioneering clinic in Turkey to undergo chemotherapy.
There, Hitchen underwent five 10-day sessions, which cost her close to $105,000, the Independent reported.
Since her first session in July, Hitchen told the outlet that the aggressive tumor in her abdomen has almost disappeared, in addition to others in her liver and on her spine that have dramatically shrunk.
But, because of the high costs of her first five sessions, Hitchen said she was likely to run out of money to pay for the remaining sessions.
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So, her ex-husband's new wife, Clair Hitchen, organized a massive fundraising effort to further raise the $66,000 needed for Nicola Hitchen to complete her lifesaving treatment.
"Joe and Jake are my stepsons. Niki is my husband’s ex-wife and amazing Mum to Joe and Jake," Clair Hitchen, who is leading the campaign, said. "Niki continues to put them first throughout all of her treatment. Joe and Jake are also amazing big brothers to our three-year-old daughter and she adores them as they do her.
"Money is running out and Niki may not be able to continue with her life-saving treatment."
She added: "This is not an option – the boys need their mum and she deserves the chance to watch them grow into men and have their own families."
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Nicola Hitchen, who works as an elementary school administrator, said she was overwhelmed by Clair Hitchen's kindness.
"I’m completely overwhelmed – everyone especially Claire has been amazing," she said. "I didn’t think people liked me that much."
"Either you accept this is what’s happening and sort your affairs out – or you start looking at other options," she continued. "The first wasn’t an option for me.”
The fundraising page Claire Hitchen created has so far managed to raise nearly $30,000, which is 44 percent of the target $66,000.
