Southampton mum offered 'life saving' treatment in Germany

Kasia Augustyn, 34, was told about the illness last year, after she was initially told the lump on her breast was a milk cyst for months.

Mum to 15-month-old daughter Gaja, she has told she will not let the disease bring her down saying: “I don’t want to leave my daughter”.

She was told by doctors there was nothing else which could save her life.

However, after applying for treatment at a clinic in Hinterschmiding, Germany, she was offered a place to start on April 21.

Speaking to the Echo, the mum, originally from Poland but who lives in Shirley, said: “I am really excited to start this treatment as I was told there was no chance for me.

“The last few days I have a lot of pain and feeling worse, but after hearing I could start this, it’s almost as if someone has given me a little bit of life back.”

Kasia Augustyn and her daughter Gaja (Image: Kasia Augustyn)

READ MORE: Mum of 15-month-old baby doesn't want to leave daughter after terminal cancer news

As with every mum, Kasia was overjoyed when she gave birth to her daughter, Gaja, but in the months following this she noticed a lump on her breast.

She informed her GP who prescribed her antibiotics and was told it was a milk cyst. However, in the following weeks the pain got so unbearable that she was referred to Princess Anne Hospital.

In April last year, following an ultrasound and biopsies which never detected any form of cancer, the lump was drained of any liquid.

In July, she finally went back to Poland where she visited a private clinic and was given the worst news possible – she had a triple-negative breast cancer, a stage four cancer.

She underwent six months of treatment which included immunotherapy and radiotherapy.

However, two weeks ago, she was told it was an advanced breast cancer and there is not a cure.

Kasia Augustyn (Image: Kasia Augustyn)

She said: “I was told by the doctor she didn’t know if I could live another year or another month. I asked her 'what do I do?' She said I could have another dose of Chemotherapy, but it wouldn’t be very effective.”

After the Daily Echo reported on her story, she was offered treatment at Vorreiter Klinik, seven miles from the Dutch border with the Czech Republic which costs 3,000 euros.

A fundraiser was set up to help the mum with the costs and raised just under £17,000. A new fundraiser has now been launched to help with the costs at this clinic.

She said: “The doctor who we spoke to said he had read my story and was very touched and wanted to offer me a place.

“There is a big chance that the treatment can be successful. It’s all about giving my body high dose of vitamins to be able to fight the cancer.

“I am really excited to start this treatment as I was told there was no chance for me.

“The last few days I have a lot of pain and feeling worse, but after hearing I could start this, it’s almost as if someone has given me a little bit of life back.”

This has the mum and her fiancé, Krystian Olenchny, to cling on to a hopeful future.

She added: “There is still a chance. I feel like there’s a chance that I will be able to live.”