A mother-of-two from Kings Langley is confronting the devastating possibility that this Christmas could be her last, after pain she initially dismissed as a side-effect of breastfeeding was diagnosed as terminal cancer.
From 'Fit as a Horse' to a Stage Four Diagnosis
Angel Madu, a 39-year-old A&E nurse, first felt discomfort in her chest in December 2022. Describing herself as "healthy as a horse," she attributed the sensation to nursing her young son or to workplace stress. After several weeks of persistent symptoms, she visited her GP as a precaution, which led to a referral to a breast clinic.
That same week, Angel received the shocking news she had stage two breast cancer. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, fighting the disease with determination. However, by 2024, the cancer had aggressively spread to her liver, lungs, bones, and lymph nodes, becoming incurable stage four cancer.
A Race Against Time for Final Treatment Hope
This month, Angel and her husband Henry Okoye, 40, received the heartbreaking update that no further NHS treatments are available to her. Doctors have said she may have only days to weeks left to live. "How do you comprehend being told you are going to die?" Angel said. "My fear is leaving my beautiful children without a mother."
Refusing to give up, Angel has secured a final chance: a year-long specialist cancer treatment in Mexico. The family has booked flights for December 23, meaning she will spend the festive period away from her four and eight-year-old children. The treatment carries a staggering price tag of £75,000, which must be paid in full before it can begin.
A Community's Leap of Faith
A fundraising campaign set up by her church has already raised over £30,000, but a significant shortfall remains. Gemma Gardener, 44, who started the appeal, described Angel as a selfless frontline nurse of 15 years who served during the Covid-19 pandemic. "She is not used to being the one in need of help, she is the helper," Gemma said.
Angel expressed overwhelming gratitude for the donations from strangers. "It blows my mind the number of people that I don't even know who have donated," she said. "We have taken a leap of faith." The family departs with the desperate hope that the remaining funds will materialise, offering a chance to extend Angel's life beyond Christmas.
