Student who miraculously returned to university after ‘freshers’ flu’ turned out to be eight brain tumours is loaned a private jet to fly to Germany to continue her experimental treatment in lockdown
- Laura Nuttall, 20, of Barrowford, Lancs, offered plane after desperate online plea
- Currently undergoing immunotherapy in Cologne, Germany to target cancer
- Mother Nicola said financial firm Greensill’s gesture ‘almost too good to be true’
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
A student battling terminal brain cancer was given a private jet to fly to Germany to continue her experimental treatment amid the coronavirus crisis.
Laura Nuttall, 30, of Barrowford, Lancashire, is currently undergoing immunotherapy in Cologne, after a ’bout of freshers’ flu’ weeks into an international relations degree at King’s College University in October 2018 turned out to be glioblastoma.
She made a ‘desperate plea’ online when her regular flights to Dusseldorf earlier this month ‘disappeared’ due to lockdown restrictions.
In response, the financial firm Greensill got in touch and offered to transport her to the clinic by private plane – a gesture Laura’s mother Nicola described as ‘almost too good to be true’.
Laura Nuttall, 30, of Barrowford, Lancashire, was given a private jet to fly to Germany to continue her experimental treatment amid the coronavirus crisis
As a result, Laura managed to travel to Germany to undergo her penultimate treatment – number 10 of 11 – which is not available on the NHS.
Speaking to the BBC, Laura said she never thought she’d have the opportunity to ride on a private jet and described the experience as ‘surreal’.
‘It was quite critical for us to get back to Germany so I could have my treatment and my vaccination, so I was so thrilled,’ she admitted.
‘It was fantastic, it made a difficult journey so much easier,’ Nicola added. ‘We’re so incredibly grateful, it’s just such a completely selfless thing to do.’
Nicola said the flight, which had in-flight treats of Jammie Dodgers on the outward leg, meant Nicola arrived refreshed and claimed the treatment went ‘better than ever’, which she put down to the ease of the journey.
Laura and her mother Nicola (pictured) made a ‘desperate plea’ online when her regular flights to Dusseldorf earlier this month ‘disappeared’ due to lockdown restrictions
Nicola said the family is ‘so incredibly grateful’ for the jet, adding: ‘It’s just such a completely selfless thing to do’
Laura has also been having chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The cancer is still in her stem cells, however just one possible tumour remains.
She admitted the combination of her treatment, coupled with the means of travel she was provided, has managed to ‘do the impossible’ and keep her well and able to do things, which she didn’t think was possible.
The family are hoping the current lockdown situation will have eased slightly to help them return to Germany in May.
FEMAIL has reached out to Greensill, which has offices in the UK, US, Australia, Germany, Singapore and South Africa, for comment.
Laura, pictured in Cologne, managed to travel to Germany to undergo her penultimate treatment – number 10 of 11 – which is not available on the NHS
Laura has also been having chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The cancer is still in her stem cells, however just one possible tumour remains
Laura had only just started at university when she began to experience occasional headaches and nausea.
She put it down to ‘freshers’ flu’, but a routine eye check found eight tumours and led to her being diagnosed with glioblastoma – the most aggressive brain cancer in adults.
Laura was forced to leave her course to move back home and undergo gruelling treatment.
She underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy at The Christie Hospital in Manchester throughout December 2018 in an attempt to keep the remaining tumours at bay, before starting a further six month intensive course.
Despite her oncologist believing she’d never return to university, the teenager is returned to studying last year, this time at the University of Manchester reading politics, philosophy and economics.
Laura, pictured with Nicola, dad Mark and sister Grace, had only just started at university when she began to experience occasional headaches and nausea
Laura admitted a lot of people thought she was crazy for applying for uni when she couldn’t go a week without throwing up, but she clung onto the hope that she could beat the odds as she was young and healthy.
And she’s determined to make sure her oral chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment in Cologne, Germany doesn’t affect her grades.
‘I’m going to keep thinking that there’s only one outcome here and that it’s that I’m going to beat it,’ Laura previously told the Mirror.
‘There’s no point thinking that I’m going to die from it. What’s the point in thinking like that? I’ve not got time to think like that.’
Laura and her family set about doing whatever they could to help Laura achieve her ‘bucket list’ after her diagnosis. Pictured at the Yesterday premiere in Liverpool
Laura admitted she didn’t expect she’d ever go back to uni when her oncologist told her she had six to 12 months to live.
As well as taking lots of vitamins and supplements, Laura put her incredible progress down to a positive mindset, adding: ‘It’s just a bump in the road.’
After her diagnosis, Laura and her mother Nicola, 49, who owns and runs a children’s soft-play and party centre in Nelson, set about doing whatever they could to help Laura achieve her ‘bucket list’ – including a trip to see Sir Paul McCartney in concert in Liverpool.
On Laura’s 19th birthday in December she was a guest at Everton Football Club, where she met players including Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Brave Laura admitted a lot of people thought she was crazy for applying for uni when she couldn’t go a week without throwing up, but she clung onto the hope that she could beat the odds as she was young and healthy. Pictured outside 10 Downing Street
As part of her ‘bucket list’, on Laura’s 19th birthday in December she was a guest at Everton Football Club, where she met players including Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
Laura and Nicola, pictured at the Windermere marathon before her shocking brain tumour diagnosis
She’s also gone fishing with Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer, met Johnny Marr and watched Fleabag being performed live on stage.
Laura praised her mum and dad Mark, 57, as well as her 17-year-old sister Grace, for their support throughout her ordeal.
As well as her studies, she hopes to continue her work highlighting the Brain Tumour Charity, for which she is an ambassador.
She recommends anyone presenting symptoms should get them checked out straight away.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Laura’s treatment.
While pursuing her bucket list, Laura has gone fishing with Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer (pictured), met Johnny Marr and watched Fleabag being performed live on stage
What is glioblastoma?
Glioblastomas are the most common cancerous brain tumours in adults.
They are fast growing and likely to spread.
Glioblastomas’ cause is unknown but may be related to a sufferer’s genes if mutations result in cells growing uncontrollably, forming a tumour.
Treatment is usually surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible, followed by a combination of radio- and chemotherapy (chemoradiation).
It can be difficult to remove all of the growth as glioblastomas have tendrils that extend to other regions of the brain. These are targeted via chemoradiation.
Glioblastomas are often resistant to treatment as they are usually made up of different types of cells. Therefore, medication will kill off some cells and not others.
The average survival time is between 12 and 18 months.
Only 20 per cent of patients live longer than a year and just three per cent survive over three years.
Source: The Brain Tumour Charity
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