A brave Irish mum has passed away after raising almost €100K to fund for a pioneering cancer drug.
Claire Graham, 38, suffered from an aggressive form of breast cancer and had been raising money for a new drug called Pembrolizumab, which she had hoped would give her a chance at life.
Sadly, she passed away yesterday, leaving a young son Harley, two, behind. Little Harley had also fought cancer and lost an eye to a rare form of the illness called retinoblastoma. Thankfully, he is now cancer-free.
Claire’s incredible story of bravery in the face of her cancer diagnosis, and that of Harley’s, touched the hearts of the public.
Just three months after being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, she received the terrible news that her son was also suffering from cancer.
Claire helped to care for Harley while she battled her own illness and was due to start radiotherapy at the end of 2016. However, she began experiencing headaches and, subsequently, discovered her cancer had returned.
Claire’s only hope of beating the disease was starting a course of Pembrolizumab but unfortunately, this was not available to her as she lived in Dublin.
Her friend Michele Trapiche - who also suffered from cancer, and could access Pembrolizumab where she lived in Manchester - decided to help Claire raise funds for the drug.
Michele has a young daughter, and told The Irish Independent that she knew she had to help Claire.
"I had been given a chance to be here for my daughter, and I just wanted Claire to have the same with Harley, though sadly that wasn't to be.”
Michele set up a JustGiving page to help Claire, and the women raised over €99K for the drug.
Sadly, Claire’s condition deteriorated, and she passed away yesterday. Michele said: “She was still getting chemotherapy and was wiped out from it, but we had the money and were waiting for her to bounce back, and then we thought we would be able to get her the drugs in the UK.
"Unfortunately, about a week-and-a-half ago, a doctor pulled her family aside and said that she was too far gone, it was too late and there wasn't anything more they could do.”
Michele said the money raised will go to help people in similar situations to Claire. She added: "I only knew her for a year, but I think she'd like to know the money is helping people and for something good to have come from all this."
Our thoughts are with Claire’s family at this very sad time.
