Marta Squires, owner of Puddings cafe in Maidstone town centre, is desperately seeking funds to send her husband Paul to Portugal for life-saving surgery after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The 55-year-old industrial plumber and football coach was told by UK doctors that surgery was not possible due to the tumour's location near other organs.
Marta noticed subtle changes in Paul during a family skiing holiday, where he lost enthusiasm for the slopes and vomited after a drink. Back home, he complained of back pain and his skin turned yellow, leading to a devastating diagnosis in January. The couple, married in June 2024, were told chemotherapy offered little hope.
Refusing to give up, Marta researched options abroad and found Professor Dr Markus Büchler's team in Portugal, which specialises in pancreatic cancer. The German surgeon agreed to operate after reviewing Paul's scans, giving the family new hope. The surgery is expected to cost around £55,000, plus travel and accommodation.
Marta has launched a fundraising appeal, saying the family will borrow against their house if necessary. She described Paul as her 'calm, sensible Englishman' and said they are complete opposites but fit together perfectly. The couple have four children and have been together for 13 years.
Support has poured in from friends, family, and strangers, including an old school friend who offered to sell her gold to help. Marta said: 'Whatever we raise will be amazing. We'll borrow the rest against the house or do whatever else we have to do.'
