Hi Suzanne. I'm so sad to hear you are going through such a rough time. Sadly, it really is an incredibly difficult thing to go through. Watching our loved ones cope with an incurable illness is absolutely heartbreaking. I lost my mom in May after she was diagnosed in Februrary with incurable lung cancer that had metastasized. We thought we had a lot longer together, though no one gave us any kind of time line. Things were going ok until the last three weeks. She went fast, really, and it was the roller coaster from hell. One minute we thought we'd have months, the next minute I thought she'd go any day, then back to thinking we might have months again. The only thing you can do is cherish what time you have left with your mum - because no matter what the doctors say, no one knows for sure how long a person has which makes every minute so much more valuable. You have to take some time for yourself - this is so important! Take a nice walk, a dinner out, a movie - anything! It's all about recharging your battery so you can be strong and be there with your mum. I hope you are surrounded by good friends and family, every bit of support helps. All the best.

Hi suzanne so sorry for you and ur family we got told last wk my lovely dad had a tumour in his kidney and spots in his liver and lungs i am heartbroken i feel like will i ever feel happy again he is so precious to us all he been going the dr for 2 yrs with back ache anemia bloods all over the place and his dr kept saying old age thing it was only he went into hospital cos his sats had dropped and had pneumonia that we found out last wk the urologist carnt operate they sed so hoping and praying ther is some treatment for him we are trying cannabis oil too am so scared and worried but trying to stay positive. Sharon

Hi Sharon, 

I know you want to do all that you can for dad but cannabis oil is not legal in the UK as it contains the mind altering substance THC. Using it can be dangerous, especially if you're using black market or home-made preparations, as it’s unregulated and as such may be contaminated with harmful substances. It has also not been scientifically tested in the same way as conventional treatments and could potentially interfere with other cancer treatments given by the doctor, so do let your dad's medical team know that you're using this for his own safety.

Although there’s emerging evidence that molecules found in cannabis may one day be used to help people with cancer, there is currently not enough reliable evidence at this time to prove that cannabinoids can effectively or safely treat cancer patients. You can find out more about this on our science blog just here.

Best wishes to you both, 

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator