A woman has shared the heartbreaking bucket list written by her younger sister, who suffers from cervical cancer.
Abbie Colvin is just 21-years-old, but has already achieved so much in her life. A high achieving student of medicine, Abbie is also a loving mum to ‘miracle’ baby Oscar.
Abbie, from Poulton in Lancashire, was diagnosed with cervical cancer during a sexual health screening when she was 19-years-old.
She was told she wouldn’t be able to have children, and would need to have a hysterectomy. However, before treatment began, Abbie discovered she was pregnant and decided to put off having treatment until her baby was born.
After giving birth to little Oscar, Abbie immediately started three rounds of chemotherapy. Amazingly, Abbie still managed to sit her university exams, earning top grades across the board.
The cancer has since spread, and – according to her sister Christie Colvin – Abbie ‘might not see another Christmas if things keep going the way they are going’.
Determined Abbie has now written a bucket list, full of all sorts of ways to make the absolute most of the time she has left on earth.
There are some deeply meaningful aims on the list, including running the Race for Life and campaigning for the smear test age to be lowered.
Some goals are adventurous – including seeing the Northern Lights, skydiving and swimming with sharks – while others reveal a keen sense of fun, with plans for visiting Disney World Florida and seeing Ariana Grande live.
Christie has now uploaded Abbie’s bucket list to a gofundme page, which has already received over £14,400 in donations at the time of writing.
Writing on Abbie’s gofundme page, Christie said:
[…] The cancer has increased in stages as the weeks go by and the cancer keeps spreading to different parts of her body. She is currently having Radiation and Chemotherapy every week to try and even give her a chance at life.
Not only does this girl get up at 4 o’clock in the morning to go and work to earn at least a little bit of money to provide anything her gorgeous little baby needs, she also goes to university in Manchester and is studying to be a DOCTOR!! Passing all her grades with a 1st. All whilst looking after a 1 year old baby. Crazy, I know!
Her loved ones around her see her when she’s unable to even lift her head off her pillow because she’s so weak from the treatment, her bald head because she’s lost all of her hair, or that she now wears size 0 clothing because she’s lost that much weight from being sick every time she tries to eat something or just in daily life.
Christie proceeded to praise her sister’s admirable courage and positivity:
But no one would ever know as she holds her head high and has the happiest spirit you could ever imagine. She never lets anyone around her feel down and sad and that’s exactly why she keeps such a brave face and powers on as if nothings even going on in her life. She keeps fighting for her little miracle baby and I genuinely believe that’s what has kept her going. She is such an inspiration to everyone around her.
She has posted her “Bucket List” of things she wants to do as life is too short and has been told she might not see another Christmas if things keep going the way they are going. She wants to make memories, with all her favourite people in the whole wide world. And take her baby places whilst she’s still here and can.
So I thought it would be a good idea to set up this page so that hopefully we can raise even a small amount of money as any little helps to help her tick things off her list and make the best memories, as life is just far too short and we don’t know what tomorrow can bring!
What an extraordinary and inspiring young woman, and what a truly brilliant and supportive sister.
You can donate to Abbie’s gofundme page here
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.