Sarah Carr, a Humberside Police officer who has battled melanoma for a decade, is seeking pioneering treatment abroad as friends rally to fund her care and stay close to her two daughters
Sarah Carr is in India seeking pioneering cancer treatment(Image: Submitted)
A Humberside police officer fighting stage 4 cancer refuses to give up hope of spending more time with her daughters and is seeking pioneering treatment in India. Sarah Carr was diagnosed with melanoma – a form of skin cancer – while she was pregnant with her youngest daughter in 2016.
Her decade-long battle has seen her cancer spread elsewhere in her body, leaving most treatments unable to tackle the disease. But Sarah, whose daughters are now 14 and 10, refuses to give up hope. She is currently in India seeking new treatment methods.
The 2016 diagnosis came after an investigation into a mole on Sarah’s back. In the past ten years, she has had multiple surgeries and treatments. The cancer has returned three times over the years, after Sarah believed she had beaten it.
Most recently, Sarah found out the cancer in her pancreas placed her at stage 4. She underwent radiotherapy treatment, which did not bring the results she hoped for. Then, she was offered a major operation which could remove most of the tumour. However, just days before the op, doctors found the cancer had spread to her right hip, meaning the surgery was no longer possible.
Refusing to be deterred, Sarah looked into private and new treatment overseas. She has now been in India for seven weeks receiving new treatments. Sarah’s GoFundMe page has raised over £35,000 so far. But more donations are needed for Sarah to secure further treatment. Updates on the page say her girls are “her greatest motivation and the reason she continues to fight every single day”.
Morgan Shaw, a friend of Sarah, will host an event to raise funds for Sarah’s treatment on August 8. Morgan has teamed up with her wife, Vicky, and aunt, Amy York, to put on the event, called Hull for Hope.
Morgan said: “She’s been in India for seven weeks and it was her daughter’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. She had to watch her daughter open presents over Facetime. She’s had two visits from friends, but normally she’s on her own. It struck a chord and it was the second birthday that she’s missed with her daughter due to treatment. I thought ‘she needs this’ and we need to get more money so she can spend more time with her daughters.”
“Now, she’s on her own again and has scans next week to find out how it’s going. She’s got a lot going on there and she’s having good days and bad days. But she’s continuing to hope.” Morgan said Sarah has had a “dedicated career” with Humberside Police and is well known for “her kindness and her massive positive attitude”. She is always someone who puts others before herself, personally and professionally.
Sarah’s treatment in India involves radiotherapy, immunotherapy, Vitamin C, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hyperthermia treatment, along with supplements and a tailored diet plan. In an update on the page earlier this month, Sarah wrote: “The reality is, the cost of this treatment is huge. One of the immunotherapy drugs alone is £10,000, which I need three cycles of. With everything combined over the next few months, I still have a significant amount left to raise. I truly can’t do this without your help.”
The Hull for Hope event aims to raise funds to help Sarah access the care and treatment she needs, while showing her and her family the love and support of the community behind them. Every donation, raffle ticket, purchase, and act of support will make a difference in helping Sarah continue her fight.
This event, sponsored by The Open Care Group, is all about bringing people together to show Sarah that she has an entire community behind her. There will be a range of local stalls, small businesses, tombolas, refreshments, and family-friendly activities throughout the day. The fundraiser will take place at Hull YPI on Chanterlands Avenue on Saturday, August 8, beginning at 10.30am. There will be games, entertainment, and local performers. There will also be a tombola, raffle and face painting stall. Entry is by donation on arrival.
Donate to the Hull for Hope event page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hull-for-hope-community-fundraising-day
Visit Sarah’s Go Fund Me Page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sarahs-journey-fighting-for-more-tomorrows
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