A young woman received the devastating news that she only had a few days to live after being diagnosed with a form of cancer that was considered “impossible to catch” when she was very young. Aged just 21, Alexandra Angeles Caycho initially thought she had suffered a rugby injury before doctors shockingly discovered she had end-stage cancer.
The 21-year-old moved to Lancaster from Peru in 2021 to pursue her passion for art and design at a local university. But her world was turned upside down in February last year when she began experiencing excruciating back and knee pain and was eventually diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer – all at the age of 20.
Alex recalled the unusual changes in his bowel movements and excruciating pain he attributed to his active rugby playing. “I was in a lot of pain but I was playing rugby at the time so I thought I had injured myself but it never went away. I went to my GP and they said I had hypermobility and flat feet which could be causing the pain. It was very painful,” he said.
READ MORE: Doctor debunks cheap TikTok red light therapy scam with simple experiment
READ MORE: Linda Nolan gives heartbreaking health update as cancer spreads
Over the following weeks, Alex witnessed a rapid decline in her health, noticing her eyes turning yellow and her inability to sit still for long periods. Her boyfriend Dylan took her to A&E, where it was suggested she had a possible liver problem.
Alex said: “From there it got worse. I was in hospital in June with minor symptoms, vomiting, fever and anaemia. I was in hospital for eight weeks and my symptoms didn’t change. The illness went away but then my stomach got worse, I started bleeding and I was throwing up blood.
“I was getting infection after infection, each one getting better and another settling in. It was then that I found out I had stage four cancer and it had spread to my liver. I was transferred to the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool,” the Mirror reported.
“It was a huge shock for all of us. We didn’t think it would be like this, I’ve had germs before but we never thought for a second that my symptoms would be like this. It was scary, stage three sounds so much better than stage four because stage four, that’s it.
“All the symptoms pointed to cancer, but because this type of cancer is so rare in young people, doctors were arguing with each other, saying it was impossible for me to have this disease. Yet here I am, facing a struggle that no one should have to face.”
After graduating from college and looking forward to graduate school, Alex was sent home to spend valuable time with his mother, Linda, and Dylan, but his return to the hospital for chemotherapy was cut short when he vomited blood.
Alex added: “They [the doctors] “They decided to stop everything and put me back on the ward. I was there for two weeks and they told me I was bleeding internally from the cancer, there was nothing they could do and I had days or even weeks to live. The cancer was locally advanced, meaning it couldn’t be operated on, and if they tried to remove it I would probably bleed to death.”
“I have been through endless rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and hospital stays. I have tried to stay strong and fight with everything I have but sadly my journey is coming to an end. Most days I am too tired to do anything; I am swollen, the swelling has gotten so bad I have gained ten kilos of fluid and my body is too weak to cope with this huge weight gain. I have back pain. I spend most days in bed trying to eat and drink water if I can.”
Longing to hug his family in Peru once more and find some solace in his final days, Alex shared his desire to return home to a place where he “felt at peace.” Despite this longing, the cost of an air ambulance is reaching a staggering £150,000, making it financially unsustainable for his family.
Alex said: “I have my mum and my partner here with me, they’ve been very supportive, they’re doing everything they can to get me back home. But my whole family lives in Peru. I want to see my dad, my granddad, my aunts and uncles. The only people who live here are my mum and I, we live on our own here. Dylan and my friends are a GoFundMe page “It’s been a very intense process to help me and my mom and ease the burden on our shoulders.”
Her boyfriend Dylan admitted he found the process “terrifying”. He explained: “I feel like there’s a pit in my stomach, it’s overwhelming and there’s so much going on, especially when you’re so young. I’ve had so many different emotions.”
Alex’s mother Linda added: “We’re trying to be nice. It’s been overwhelming and we’re trying to get him back home but it’s very difficult to arrange everything.”
Supporters can: Contribute to Alex’s GoFundMe And Follow her updates on Instagram.