A woman battling ‘incurable and terminal’ cancer is refusing to give in to the dreadful disease she fears will rob her children of their mother.
Mother-of-three Susan Cox, 33, was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer two years ago, and after undergoing a taxing double mastectomy, it returned with a vengeance.
The brave woman from Brisbane, Queensland, was told by doctors her cancer was incurable, but she is preparing to trek across the globe for treatment at a cutting-edge European clinic which will cost upwards of $100,000.
Mother-of-three Susan Cox, 33, (pictured with her children) was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer two years ago, and after undergoing a taxing double mastectomy, it returned with a vengeance
The brave woman (Pictured right with her husband Phil) from Brisbane, Queensland, was told by doctors her cancer was incurable, but she is preparing to trek across the globe to a cutting-edge European clinic which will cost upwards of $100,000
Both a doting mother and dedicated wife, Susan is unwilling to believe her time is up.
‘It can’t be how it ends. This can’t be the end of our story,’ an emotional Susan told Nine News.
Her fight against cancer has been peppered with both joy and unthinkable tragedy.
Susan fell pregnant with her third child six months after surgery, however she lost her unborn baby girl at the five-month mark in an ‘excruciating loss’.
She delivered her lifeless daughter, Alivia, following a harrowing 18-hour labour and said goodbye to her little girl.
Two months later she was pregnant with her son, Levi, and only six weeks after giving birth she was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
It was found the cancer had invaded into her breastbone and crept into the outer lining of her lung and heart.
Both a doting mother and dedicated wife, Susan (Pictured with her children) is unwilling to believe her time is up
‘ It can’t be how it ends. This can’t be the end of our story,’ an emotional Susan (pictured) told Nine News
‘Because of it’s high resistance to particular mainstream treatments, it has the worst prognosis and highest mortality rate of all breast cancers,’ Susan said.
‘We’ve been in a whirlwind of tests and appointments since the diagnosis, all while trying to continue life as normal with two little ones and a newborn.’
But the second nightmare prognosis did not cause Susan’s fighting spirit to waver.
Desperate to see her children grow up, Susan and her husband Phil researched alternative treatments and stumbled across an innovative cancer clinic in Germany.
The clinics use cutting-edge developments in medicine which are not yet seen on Australian soil.
Desperate to see her children grow up, Susan (pictured with her son) and her husband Phil researched alternative treatments and stumbled across an innovative cancer clinic in Germany
‘Because of it’s high resistance to particular mainstream treatments, it has the worst prognosis and highest mortality rate of all breast cancers,’ Susan (pictured) said
Seeking radical treatment is the last hope for Susan who is now cherishing every moment she spends with her three young children.
‘It’s put so many things into perspective and has really made us strip down life to focus on the things that really matter….like, really matter,’ she said.
‘I put my kids to bed every night and cherish just getting to lay next to them and tell them how proud I am of them, how special they are and how deeply they are loved.’
Her loving husband Phil said the couple has prepared themselves for the worst – but will fight their hardest to conquer the terrible disease.
Seeking radical treatment is the last hope for Susan (pictured left with her husband) who is now cherishing every moment she spends with her three children
‘While we don’t live in denial of the fragility of life, or the very real outcome this could have for our family, we are not simply laying down and walking towards light either,’ he said.
‘Suz is the strongest woman I know. She is an incredible fighter and she refuses to give up on her family and leave her babies behind without their mother.’
Susan will start radiation and chemotherapy on January 11 while the couple raises the much-needed money to fund their journey to Germany.
A Gofundme account has been set up in her name and has so far raised $34,580 of their $100,000 goal.