Today is World Cancer Day, a campaign built to ignite action and understanding long after the date of February 4 has passed.

Cancer has a huge impact on people in Wiltshire, with Cancer Research UK recording in 2020 that around 1,200 people die in the area every year from the disease.

Many more fight on - with around 3,000 cases within our clinical commissioning group a year.

One mum-of-four from Bradford-on-Avon, who has been battling colon cancer since June 2020, is more determined than ever to keep up the fight.

Lisa Wilde, 41, set up a fundraiser to help her access specialist treatment for her now stage four cancer on GoFundMe.

She has had an overwhelming response - smashing her goal of £12,000 - having raised more than £32,000 at the time of writing from 488 donations.

Lisa's cancer initially started in her colon but has now spread to her peritoneum, liver and lungs.

Her aim was to raise enough to add an extra chemotherapy drug to her treatment which is not available on the NHS. She also wanted to be able to fund additional integrative healthcare treatments, which otherwise would be unavailable to her.

On January 19, Lisa shared an update with her supporters.

"Thank you all so much for the incredible generosity and kindness you have shown. We are eternally grateful and utterly blown away," she said.

"My first Avastin goes in on Friday, plus HBOT and IV Vit C to chase it next week."

And still the donations continue to flood in.

After having surgery and treatment shortly after her initial diagnosis, Lisa had initially hoped that she would be able to move on as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, this was not the case.

Lisa explained on her fundraiser: “After recovering from the operation, I subsequently completed six months of XELOX chemotherapy and my family and I hoped with all our hearts that it would be the end of my cancer journey.

“Sadly, this wasn’t to be, and in October 2021 I received the devastating confirmation that my cancer has spread, and is now in my peritoneum, liver and lungs. I have also found out that my tumour carries the BRAF mutation, making cancer more aggressive and even harder to treat.”

Having first-hand knowledge of how the disease works, Lisa knows all too well about the realities of accessing the right kinds of treatment.

She said: “With a background working for the NHS running oncology trials I have dedicated hours of time researching to understand up and coming treatments, new science, standard care in other countries, and also investigating additional integrative health treatments that I really want to access, all of which however comes with a fairly hefty price tag.

“I believe following an off-label drug and supplement protocol, as well as adding IV Vitamin C and HBOT therapy, alongside my standard treatment will be very beneficial and could enhance my response to treatment.”

To find out more about Lisa's story, and help along with her journey to recovery, you can donate via her online fundraiser here. Her fundraiser states that any surplus funds will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK.