When the fatigue set in and the feeling in elements of her left aspect began flickering away, Faye Fantarrow thought she knew what was coming. At 20, the leukaemia she had survived twice as a baby had returned for a 3rd time, she feared.
“Just” the leukaemia, she says, realizing most cancers is rarely a “just”. But having survived it twice earlier than, no less than she knew what to anticipate. Or thought she did.
Blood assessments, nevertheless, got here again regular, she says. No leukaemia. It was not till she had scans and finally a biopsy that docs have been in a position to give her a prognosis: an aggressive glioma mind tumour, believed to be an extremely uncommon consequence of earlier radiotherapy she had undergone as a youngster.
This was again in August. Since then Faye, from Sunderland, has had additional radiotherapy to attempt to shrink a number of growths. But there isn’t a treatment within the UK.
An up-and-coming singer and musician, noticed on social media and subsequently signed by Eurythmics star Dave Stewart earlier in 2022, she was made conscious of a lifeline – a trial on the City of Hope hospital within the metropolis of Duarte in Los Angeles County, California; a posh therapy, at a complete price of £450,000.
Now, her family and friends, in addition to different musicians, are doing all the pieces doable to attempt to elevate the cash. Three-and-a-half weeks since a fundraising web page was arrange, donations have reached simply over £121,000. An enormous quantity, however there may be nonetheless a technique to go.
“We cannot let Faye’s life end here,” her sister Abigail says on the fundraising webpage. “She is the brightest star you could ever find on the darkest night, she is strong, independent and talented… please donate… please help to help Faye fight.”
“It’s daunting but the security blanket I have around me because of the people who are putting money in and just not giving up on me – it doesn’t seem as daunting,” says Faye.
The struggle is now on to boost the cash for therapy in California.
Surviving leukaemia
Faye was simply eight when she was recognized with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a type of blood most cancers, for the primary time. She underwent two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy that took away her hair and mobility, however as a baby, she says an absence of correct consciousness cushioned her from the scenario, making her sickness in some methods tougher for her household.
And in a wierd means, her most cancers led to her life altering in a constructive means; given a Brave Heart award for kids going through sickness or adversity, she selected an acoustic guitar, paving the way in which for her profession as a singer-songwriter.
The leukaemia returned when she was 13 and this time, she must have a bone marrow transplant – an extended, tough course of, however one she got here by as soon as once more.
‘And then Mr Dave Stewart acquired in contact…’
Aged 15, Faye began enjoying the guitar severely and started writing her personal songs the next yr. Aged 17, her music was performed by BBC Introducing for the primary time. And in 2021, she was named the winner of the Alan Hull award for songwriting – a prize given yearly within the North East in reminiscence of the Lindisfarne founder.
After years of most cancers dominating her life, Faye was nicely and her music profession was taking off. “And then Mr Dave Stewart got in touch,” she says.
Having first adopted her on Instagram, Stewart later messaged the singer and started mentoring her, at first including some manufacturing work to her demos remotely, then inviting her to file with him in London. Then they went to the Bahamas to file an EP.
“Things were going so well… and then I decided to mess everything up,” Faye jokes, referring to the tumour. But that is the toughest factor about being recognized now, she says. “I’m more aware of it now and obviously it’s affected my career as well. I don’t want this to undermine my career and everything I’ve worked to build.”
‘She’s a nationwide treasure already’
Stewart, additionally from Sunderland, has shared Faye’s story, calling her “an amazing young artist”. He has donated £50,000, and his Eurythmics bandmate Annie Lennox has additionally donated £10,000.
“Faye is a brilliant young artist, a singer-songwriter in a class of her own,” Stewart instructed Sky News. “Unique writers like Faye come few and far between and I knew the minute I heard her voice she was extraordinary.
“We spent a tremendous time collectively recording her new EP this summer season solely to be hit with this devastating information no various weeks after we completed recording.
“I cannot express enough how much I believe in Faye and her talents as a singer and performer, but it’s her astute observations of the world around her put in the words that makes me believe she deserves to be heard for a long, long time.
“At solely 20 years outdated she’s a nationwide treasure in my thoughts already and hopefully she’s going to change into one in yours, too.”
‘I can look towards a future’
Faye now suffers from seizures as a result of her tumours. She says she has good days and bad days. But she remains upbeat, saying she feels “euphoric” thinking about performing again following treatment in California; she is not thinking of it as a case of if, but when.
The treatment she needs is called CAR T-cell therapy, which is a type of immunotherapy – a “complicated and specialist therapy”, according to Cancer Research UK. T cells are a type of white blood cell.
“With this therapy, a specialist collects and makes a small change to your T cells. After a couple of weeks, you could have a drip containing these cells again into your bloodstream. The CAR T-cells then recognise and assault the most cancers cells,” the charity says on its website.
“It is out there as a doable therapy for some kids with leukaemia and a few adults with lymphoma. People with different kinds of most cancers may need it as a part of a medical trial.”
Faye says the NHS has been “superb” so far, but now she needs to get to the US.
“If anyone can provide no matter they’ll, I’m eternally grateful for that,” she says. “I’m conscious of the present local weather… so even when it is simply sharing the story, speaking about it. I’m lucky sufficient that I’ve this selection and persons are getting behind me, that I can look in direction of a future. Even if it is simply speaking about it, I am unable to specific the gratitude for that alone.”
But Faye’s mum puts it simply. “£450,000 appeared an insurmountable quantity. But then I believed, nicely, if we will attain 450,000 individuals they usually all simply give a pound, then we will do it. And that is all we ask. If somebody can provide a pound, then we will do it.”
You can donate to the Fight For Faye fundraiser right here.
Source: information.sky.com”