Amy had suffered from colitis, a condition that causes the intestinal lining to become inflamed, since she was 11 years old, so when she first went to the doctors complaining of abdonminal pains, they assumed that this was the cause.
However, Amy knew there was something very wrong, and she soon made a discovery that confirmed her worst fears: she found a lump in her abdomen. The doctors finally sent her for tests.
The news was devastating. Amy had bowel cancer, which had already spread to 70 percent of her liver. The doctors told Amy it was terminal.
“We were all devastated when we were told it was bowel cancer and that it was incurable,” Emily’s younger sister told news site Liftable.
Amy was offered chemotherapy to extend her life, but she refused the treatment. “She said she’d rather have less time and feel healthier in herself,” Emily explains.
Initially Amy was told she had six months to live, but sadly her condition rapidly worsened. But Amy wasn’t willing to let the cancer steal her last days from her. She began to share her journey on social media to help raise awareness of colon cancer.
The brave young woman shared poingnant photos and videos where she spoke frankly about her diagnosis and how she felt day-to-day. Most days she describes feeling tired and struggling to eat, but she has also managed to share tender moments with her loved ones. Her last post shows photos of her in her hospice having her nails done.
Since Amy’s condition has deteriorated, sister Emily has taken over posting updates to her Facebook page, to share Amy’s final days with the many friends and strangers who have followed her journey since her diagnosis.
“We are so proud of the fight she’s put up for the last few months, she has been so brave,” Emily says of her sister. “But she has said she’s ready to die now and no longer be in pain.”
Amy and her family want to use her final posts to spread an important message to anybody following her journey. If you feel that something isn’t right, that you’re experiencing unusual, persitant pain, go and get it checked out. This is particularly true for sufferers of colitis, as the condition can lead to a higher chance of developing colon cancer.
Watch Amy’s last video for yourself below. Her words and outlook are truly incredible, and I just had to share them.
If you’re as moved as I am by Amy’s story, please help to spread her message by sharing this with your friends and family on Facebook.
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