Nurse, 42, with cancer reaches her fundraising target after appealing for £40,000 to fund a drug not available on the NHS

  • Laura Harris, 42, has devoted her life to helping cancer patients in the NHS 
  • But has been told there is no treatment available for her stage 4 bowel cancer
  • The mother-of-two was diagnosed last year and given just 3 months to live
  • Doctors now say her time is running out after grueling bouts of chemotherapy
  • Mrs Harris believes a drug named Bevacizumab may offer her some more time 

A nurse with cancer who needs £40,000 to fund a drug not available on the NHS has reached her target a day after her story became public.

The Daily Mail told yesterday how Laura Harris, 42, who has devoted her career to caring for cancer patients, was herself diagnosed with bowel cancer in January last year and given three months to live.

The mother of three, from Barnstaple, Devon, has defied expectations but believes a drug called Bevacizumab, also known as Avastin, could prolong her life.

An appeal had raised £19,000 – but within 24 hours of her plight going public, the £40,000 was reached thanks to wellwishers.

 Cancer nurse Laura Harris who was forced to crowdfund a drug denied to her by the NHS claims the new treatment is working due to donations from strangers across the world

Laura Harris, 42, has devoted her life to helping cancer patients in the NHS but has been told there is no treatment available for her disease

The mother-of-two was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer last year and given just three months to live.

Despite her illness, she stunned colleagues by returning to her work as a specialist oncology nurse at the North Devon District Hospital to carry on caring for other cancer patients.

However, after enduring countless hours of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, doctors now say her options and time are now running out.

Mrs Harris believes a drug named Bevacizumab may offer her some more time, but only if she can urgently raise £40,000 for two rounds of treatment.

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Trials have shown that Bevacizumab, also known by its brand name Avastin, can stop the progression of the cancer for an average of three months.

In some bowel cancer cases, the drug has prolonged life expectancy by as much as three years.

Mrs Harris, of Barnstaple, Devon, said: 'As an oncology nurse, I'm only too aware of what I'm up against, but I'm not finished on this earth just yet.

'I still feel I have so much more to give and I hope this treatment will buy me some extra time with my family. 

'This last year has been the hardest of my life but we are so grateful for the support we have already received.'

Mrs Harris has a husband Paul, two children and a stepson, and is also continuing to act as a carer for her elderly mother.

The mother-of-two was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer last year and given just three months to live (pictured: the side effects of chemotherapy on her skin)

The mother-of-two was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer last year and given just three months to live (pictured: the side effects of chemotherapy on her skin)

Despite her illness, she stunned colleagues by returning to her work as a specialist oncology nurse at the North Devon District Hospital to carry on caring for other cancer patients (pictured receiving treatment at hospital)

Despite her illness, she stunned colleagues by returning to her work as a specialist oncology nurse at the North Devon District Hospital to carry on caring for other cancer patients (pictured receiving treatment at hospital)

Mrs Harris believes a new drug named Bevacizumab may offer her some more time, but only if she can urgently raise £40,000 for two rounds of treatment

Mrs Harris believes a new drug named Bevacizumab may offer her some more time, but only if she can urgently raise £40,000 for two rounds of treatment

WHAT IS BEVACIZUMAB? 

Bevacizumab, which costs roughly £42,000 for a year's supply, targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

The drug blocks this protein and stops the cancer from growing blood vessels, so it is starved and can't grow.

Patients usually have Bevacizumab (Avastin) every two to three weeks and treatment continues for as long as it controls your cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) doesn't recommend the use of the drug on the NHS in England and Wales.

Avastin, made by pharmaceutical firm Roche, was previously available on the Cancer Drugs Fund before it was cut in 2015. 

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A fundraising page set up to fund her treatment.

Mrs Harris, who was born in Maryland, US, added: 'I want to thank everyone who has donated and everyone who is working so hard to raise money.' 

Nurse Hannah Sunderland, a colleague and friend, said: 'If you have ever had a family member affected by cancer in North Devon then it is quite possible that Laura would have cared for them in their hour of need.

'Laura has devoted her life to caring for cancer patients, even returning to work against all the odds, but now she needs our help. 

'At this moment, every second is precious and there really is no time to lose.

'We urge everyone to give as generously and as quickly as possible so we can help this wonderful nurse, wife, mother and daughter have more time with those who love her so much.' 

Mrs Harris, of Barnstaple, Devon, said: 'As an oncology nurse, I'm only too aware of what I'm up against, but I'm not finished on this earth just yet'

Mrs Harris, of Barnstaple, Devon, said: 'As an oncology nurse, I'm only too aware of what I'm up against, but I'm not finished on this earth just yet'

Bevacizumab targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

As an oncology nurse, I'm only too aware of what I'm up against, but I'm not finished on this earth just yet
Laura Harris, 42

The drug blocks this protein and stops the cancer from growing blood vessels, so it is starved and can't grow.

Patients usually have Bevacizumab (Avastin) every two to three weeks and treatment continues for as long as it controls your cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) doesn't recommend the use of the drug on the NHS in England and Wales.

Avastin, made by pharmaceutical firm Roche, was previously available on the Cancer Drugs Fund before it was cut in 2015.  

Mrs Harris has a husband Paul, two children and a stepson, and is also continuing to act as a carer for her elderly mother (pictured on their wedding day)

Mrs Harris has a husband Paul, two children and a stepson, and is also continuing to act as a carer for her elderly mother (pictured on their wedding day)

Mrs Harris said: 'I still feel I have so much more to give and I hope this treatment will buy me some extra time with my family'

Mrs Harris said: 'I still feel I have so much more to give and I hope this treatment will buy me some extra time with my family'

Kind-hearted strangers have so far raised £16,704 for Mrs Harris, with a flood of donations since her story went viral today. 

And scores of comments have been left on the page, with some branding her an 'inspiration' while others have said she sounds 'wonderful'.

Maureen Stanley wrote: 'We only met Laura once but we couldnt get over her kindness and commitment to her job whist going through such treatment herself. She was an inspiration to me.'

Mrs Harris revealed on Facebook earlier this month that her brother and his partner flew over from the US to visit her while she recovered from her fractured leg.

She described seeing them as 'wonderful' and in the same post revealed the brutal effects a year's worth of chemotherapy has had on her body.

In a heart-wrenching post on March 7, she said: 'I'm a now touch anaemic and having to go in for a blood transfusion in order to boost me up in time to have more chemo.' 

Mrs Harris, who was born in Maryland, US, added: 'I want to thank everyone who has donated and everyone who is working so hard to raise money'
The money she raises will go towards funding bevacizumab targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

Mrs Harris, who was born in Maryland, US, added: 'I want to thank everyone who has donated and everyone who is working so hard to raise money'. The money will go towards funding bevacizumab targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

Patients usually have Bevacizumab (Avastin) every two to three weeks and treatment continues for as long as it controls your cancer

Patients usually have Bevacizumab (Avastin) every two to three weeks and treatment continues for as long as it controls your cancer

Kind-hearted strangers have so far raised £16,704 for Mrs Harris, with a flood of donations since her story went viral today

Kind-hearted strangers have so far raised £16,704 for Mrs Harris, with a flood of donations since her story went viral today

Mrs Harris revealed on Facebook earlier this month that her brother and his partner flew over from the US to visit her while she recovered from her fractured leg (pictured in hospital)

Mrs Harris revealed on Facebook earlier this month that her brother and his partner flew over from the US to visit her while she recovered from her fractured leg (pictured in hospital)

She admitted that pain 'unfortunately continues to be a huge issue'.

But Mrs Harris is hopeful she will be able to tick off the biggest item on her bucket list - making her final pilgrimage home to the US.

In the same post, she thanked the 'astounding' generosity shown to her during her desperate attempts to raise money.

Mrs Harris made another poignant Facebook update in February to update her followers, friends and family about the progress of her cancer.

She explained how the disease was 'progressing sadly' and she was going through another round of brutal chemotherapy. 

To donate to Mrs Harris' appeal, please visit her GoFundMe page here.   

In a heart-wrenching Facebook post on March 7, she said: 'I'm a now touch anaemic and having to go in for a blood transfusion in order to boost me up in time to have more chemo'

In a heart-wrenching Facebook post on March 7, she said: 'I'm a now touch anaemic and having to go in for a blood transfusion in order to boost me up in time to have more chemo'

She admitted that pain 'unfortunately continues to be a huge issue'
Mrs Harris is hopeful she will be able to tick off the biggest item on her bucket list - making her final pilgrimage home to the US

She admitted that pain 'unfortunately continues to be a huge issue'. But Mrs Harris is hopeful she will be able to tick off the biggest item on her bucket list - making her final pilgrimage home to the US

Scores of comments have been left on the fundraising page, with some branding her an 'inspiration' while others have said she sounds 'wonderful'

Scores of comments have been left on the fundraising page, with some branding her an 'inspiration' while others have said she sounds 'wonderful'

Mrs Harris made another poignant Facebook update in February to update her followers, friends and family about the progress of her cancer

Mrs Harris made another poignant Facebook update in February to update her followers, friends and family about the progress of her cancer

Mrs Harris, who was born in Maryland, US, added: 'I want to thank everyone who has donated and everyone who is working so hard to raise money'

Mrs Harris, who was born in Maryland, US, added: 'I want to thank everyone who has donated and everyone who is working so hard to raise money'

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