A woman who was initially told she had a phobia of spiders has now been diagnosed with a terminal illness, with doctors estimating she has just six months left to live due to a brain tumor.
Amy Carr, a former England soccer player, first experienced a collapse in 2015 after seeing a spider in her bedroom. Initially, medical professionals attributed the incident to a fear response. However, after experiencing two more blackouts while at the gym, the true underlying cause was identified.
The 34-year-old was found to have a grade four cancer following the discovery of an astrocytoma, a type of brain and spinal cord tumor, which had grown to the size of a golf ball. She subsequently underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to address the tumor.
For several years, Amy believed she had overcome the illness, but nearly a decade later, the tumor returned, and she was informed it was now terminal.
In August, after a routine medical check-up, Amy, who resides in Hemel Hempstead, a town about an hour northwest of London, began experiencing slurred speech and blurred vision. Doctors then gave her the heartbreaking prognosis of having just six to nine months left to live.
Tragically, this news came shortly before Amy was set to embark on a dream 10-day cruise around Italy and Greece with her best friend, Lucy Baker.
The two friends had spent approximately $5,375 on the trip, which they had to cancel after Amy was unable to secure travel insurance due to her condition.
Despite providing medical documentation, the cruise company Iglu reportedly declined to issue a refund.
“I’m exhausted with trying – and failing – to make contact with Iglu,” Amy expressed.
“They haven’t responded to either of us. Even though they told us they can’t give us a refund, they could’ve apologised or organised a voucher. I’m beyond disappointed with Iglu and their lack of care.”
Lucy explained that the holiday was intended to be a final opportunity for Amy to visit destinations she had ‘always wanted to see’. She even paid an additional $1,000 to accommodate a wheelchair onboard, eager to make the trip possible.
“We were really looking forward to it,” the 35-year-old said. “They were just quite heartless, really – they told us we’d have a 100 percent loss and we weren’t offered any form of refund or voucher.”
Amy’s journey has been challenging.
Following her 2015 surgery, which took place while she was conscious, she was unable to walk or talk for eight days. When she eventually regained the ability to speak, it was in French.
The tumor has impacted her coordination and personality, but it hasn’t deterred her from raising over $35,000 for Brain Tumour Research.
On Saturday, September 27, Amy completed a five-mile fundraising event with Lucy and friends, navigating the route on a mobility scooter. “Amy is such an inspiration to all those around her,” Lucy remarked. “It’s such a shame she didn’t get to go on the cruise that she was so looking forward to.”
Iglu responded to PULPTASTIC with the following statement:
“We were truly saddened to learn the reason Amy has had to cancel this holiday and we extend our deepest sympathies during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts are with Amy and all her loved ones.
Our team has reviewed the booking, and under these difficult circumstances, we certainly want to do what we can to help.
We are pleased to confirm that we are issuing a refund of £1,500 to Amy Carr as an immediate gesture of goodwill. While we know this doesn’t replace the holiday that was being looked forward to, we sincerely hope this gesture will offer some measure of relief and alleviate a little of the disappointment.
We know that in times like these, the last thing anyone needs is a complication, and we are sorry for any added upset this may have caused.”