A mother from Llanelli says the NHS told her she had weeks to live, only to save her own life by cashing in her pension to fund cancer treatment in Germany. Laura Pearce, 54, was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in August 2023, which had spread to her liver, lungs and bones. After one round of palliative chemotherapy, she was told there was no treatment other than hospice care and that she had less than a year to live.
Diagnosis and search for options
Laura was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 after discovering a small lump under her left arm. She underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a lumpectomy and was given the all-clear in September 2019. In early 2023, she started experiencing exhaustion and tightness around her liver, which she initially put down to the menopause. After visiting her oncologist and being told nothing was wrong, she ended up in A&E in pain in August 2023.
It was then she learned about 85% of her liver was covered in cancer and that she had liver failure. Determined to see her children grow up, Laura began researching treatment options abroad and discovered Transarterial Chemoembolisation (TACE). TACE is a minimally invasive procedure that delivers high-dose chemotherapy directly into the blood vessels, according to Cancer Research UK.
Treatment in Germany
Laura cashed in her life insurance and pension and began travelling to Frankfurt every four weeks for treatment, costing around £5,000 per trip. Over 13 months, she underwent 11 TACE procedures and microwave ablation, alongside systemic treatment and extensive monitoring, costing more than £100,000. By September 2024, she was told she was in remission.
Laura said: "It was really shocking because I had been really well, super fit and active. I was so frightened. I've got six children and I'm a single mum, it wasn't something I was willing to accept." She added: "When they told me I only had weeks to live, my son was with me. It was horrific. I had to go home and tell my children I only had weeks to live. I couldn't believe it, they said there wasn't anything they could do other than hospice."
Impact and advocacy
Laura now travels back to Germany every three months for check-ups. She said: "My savings have gone. I cashed in my pension. I used my life-insurance money. I effectively spent the money I had put aside for my future in order to make sure I actually had one." She now devotes significant time to helping other people facing cancer, sharing information free through her social media platforms and offering paid consultations.
Laura said: "My mission is to be around my children for as long as possible. I would encourage people to look for treatment options outside of the UK and to do their own research." Sharon Daniel, Director of Nursing, Quality and Patient Experience at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: "We can't comment on individual cases because we need to protect our patients' confidentiality. We are always sorry to hear when a patient is not happy with the care and treatment they have been given or of their experience during their time with us."
