'Selfless' mom, 36, had concerning food reactions before late-stage cancer diagnosis
The family of a 'selfless' mother and former carer with late-stage cancer have detailed a concerning symptom she experienced prior to receiving her diagnosis.
British mom Roxy, 36, was working for a homecare company when she began experiencing symptoms in February 2026, at which time she began rapidly losing weight.
The mom dropped from 83kg down to just 63kg in a matter of months, leaving her two children, Adrian, 20, and Patrizia, 15, concerned for her health.
Speaking to UNILAD, Adrian described the strange reaction she started having to food, saying: "Her body was rejecting food and she was constantly throwing up."
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"When the situation became unbearable, she went to get checked," he continued. "She underwent a biopsy in Slough (UK), where doctors discovered cancer and fluid in her stomach."
After two weeks of tests, surgery for tissue samples, and having a feeding tube fitted so she could receive nourishment, doctors confirmed Roxy has late-stage gastric adenocarcinoma - an advanced stomach cancer.
Standard chemotherapy 'isn't completely useless' in this situation, Adrian said, but 'it's not a long-term solution either'.
Instead, Roxy's family are hoping to get her more advanced procedures, specifically one known as PIPAC - Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, PIPAC is an experimental treatment for cancers which is delivered directly inside the abdominal cavity.
Adrian said PIPAC would 'offer a much higher chance for her to respond effectively, live longer, and have a better quality of life'.
However, he continued: "Unfortunately, PIPAC is still considered experimental in the UK, so we looked across Europe and found a specialized clinic in Romania that can offer this treatment, starting around £30,000 ($40,400)."
"The treatment is done per session. The plan is for her to undergo 3 sessions of PIPAC therapy."
If PIPAC is secured and goes well, doctors would then treat Roxy with HIPEC (Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy), which Johns Hopkins Medicine says is a two-step procedure in which cancerous tumors are surgically removed, then heated chemotherapy drugs are applied directly inside the abdomen to eliminate the remaining cancerous cells.
Adrian went on to say that he and his 15-year-old sister are in 'complete shock' over their mother's diagnosis.
"My mum is a fighter, and right now, we are trying everything we can to give her hope, bring back her smile, and give her a fighting chance to watch us grow up," he said.
"All her life, she worked as a carer, dedicating herself to taking care of other people and helping those in need. Now, it breaks our hearts to watch her go through this nightmare, and it’s our turn to fight for her."
Adrian has since set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to help Roxy 'access life-saving treatment' explaining: "The £30,000 goal should be enough for the PIPAC treatment phase. Each individual session costs between €6,000 and €10,000, and she needs 3 sessions for it to be effective."
Meanwhile, he admitted it's 'very hard' for the family to see Roxy in the hospital.
"It is very, very hard for us as a family seeing her change every single day," he said. "Because her body keeps refusing food and nutrition, she isn't getting the calories she needs and continues to lose weight, though the doctors are trying their absolute best.
"It is heartbreaking because we just want our mum to survive and to be happy all together again. We miss our energetic, happy, smiling mother. We fight every single day to reach these funds, sharing her story everywhere with the press and anyone who can help. We still have a long way to go, but we hold onto hope."
If Roxy is is able to undergo PIPAC, and she responds well, it 'could buy her vital time and open the door to the major HIPEC surgery, giving her a fighting chance to beat this'.
Adrian went on to thank those who have donated so far for their 'kindness, generosity, and prayers during this journey'.
At the time of writing, just over $5,000 has been raised, though Roxy's family are hoping to accumulate more than $40,000.
If you'd like to donate to the GoFundMe, you can do so here.
Callum Jones