Bubbenhall woman's family are appealing for support in raising funds for lifesaving brain cancer treatment which she will start in Germany in the coming days

Natalie Paul was aged just 27 when she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a grade 4 aggressive brain cancer with a very poor prognosis.

A few days later Natalie received lifesaving brain surgery, with the biopsy results confirming the worst scenario – glioblastoma (GBM).

The consultant advised without the operation Natalie would have died within 3 months! Following surgery Natalie received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which kept the tumour at bay till 2019.

Natalie has been so determined and positive from day one. Within 9 months she was back at work in a new role following her chosen profession of food development.

She moved into a new home with her partner and 2 years after surgery managed to get her driving licence back… finally a return to normality and independence. Unfortunately, this was to be short lived - in December 2019 she was told the tumour was re-growing.

More surgery followed in February 2020 which had longer lasting impact on her mobility. Natalie left hospital unable to walk but with her continued tenacity within weeks she was making progress and with the support of 2 neuro physios she’s now back to walking, albeit with some weakness and balance issues.

Four months later the tumour was again back - after a further round of more aggressive chemotherapy it is apparent the tumour is progressing, and NHS options are becoming more limited.

Natalie has therefore taken the brave decision to discontinue chemotherapy and consider more innovative treatments available abroad.

She’s looking to access treatment at the IOZK clinic in Cologne which is at the forefront of pioneering treatment for GBM.

Options include immunotherapy, electro hyperthermia and dendric cell vaccine. All of these treatments come at a high cost and have to be funded privately.

Natalie set up a GoFundMe page to raise the necessary funds for the trip and raised £15,000 within two days.

Since then more than £25,000 has been donated to the cause.

Natalie said: "I am now 30 I’m trying to raise funding for this innovative treatment in Cologne.

"Most new GBM treatments are outside the UK and essentially have to be financed privately.

"The treatment I want to access is at the IOZK clinic in Cologne which is at the forefront for various GBM treatments including immunotherapy, electro hyperthermia and dendritic cell vaccine. This type of treatment has its risks but hopefully benefits too - I feel this is the most realistic option for me to pursue as of now.

"Unfortunately as you can imagine, to access the treatment is costly and Covid is also making this process so much harder, with border restrictions and isolation periods when arriving in Germany elongating how long we would need to stay each time.

"Anyone that knows me knows that I am proud and never really ask for help, but on this occasion I can’t do this alone.

" My family and I will be running various types of fundraisers to help raise money for the first stages, so please stay tuned to our page.

"I will be taking on my own personal challenge of walking a marathon in January, which is no mean feat saying I have only just regained confidence to go out walking in the last few weeks, after nearly 12 months and ongoing issues with walking and balance.

"Any funds raised not used for treatment of my brain tumour will be donated straight back into research via the Brain Tumour Charity to help others suffering from the same.

"I would like to say a massive thank you to all for anything you can donate, it really will be a life saver for myself and my family will also be eternally grateful."

To visit the Help Natalie Fight Brain Cancer page on the gofundme website click here.