£125,000 appeal to raise funds for Stoke headteacher self-funding lifesaving cancer treatment
A £125,000 appeal has been launched for a former Stoke-on-Trent headteacher having to fund her own fight against an extremely aggressive form of cancer.
Holly Hartley, 47, is well-known to thousands of students and their parents in the Potteries after she helped turn around Thistley Hough Academy in Penkhull to make it the 'most improved school in the city'.
Ms Hartley's school career was cut short when she was struck down with a rare type of thyroid cancer in 2022.
According to her family, Holly's cancer had reached 'stage 4' and spread to her lungs, prompting her to seek private help.
She is now having to pay for the drugs to give her a fighting chance of beating the illness.
Despite Ms Hartley's teacher pension being released early and her using her life savings, the money has now run out.
The 'amazing, strong and inspirational' headteacher is currently being treated in a hospital in the U.S. after initially flying out there last month for a retreat.
Her medical bills are expected to run into tens of thousands despite believing she had taken out enough medical insurance. Her family says she is hoping to return to the UK but the drugs will not be available on the NHS.
To add to the ordeal, Ms Hartley recently learned that her cancer has now spread to her brain and had to undergo surgery in the U.S. to remove two tumours.
The page, which was launched by Ms Hartley's friend Denise, details the incredible difficulties Holly has faced from getting her initial diagnosis to her continuing fight.
It reads: "Since the diagnosis Holly has tried to manage the disease in private and to the best of her abilities. As an ex-teacher and headteacher, she was awarded early release of her teacher pension, however, she has already had to use this to pay privately for treatment and therapies including Dendritic Cell Therapy.
"A focus for Holly over the last year has been looking after all aspects of her health including her mind, body and spirit and this has been extremely important to her.
"In September, Holly travelled to Florida in the U.S. after being given the go-ahead to participate in a meditation retreat. Sadly, whilst in Florida she became increasingly unwell.
"She sought medical help and Holly received the devastating news the cancer had metastasised further to her brain. She had brain surgery two weeks ago to remove two brain tumours. The cancer in her lungs has progressed rapidly in this time.
"She was unable to fly home so began a five-day journey overland with her sister from Florida to Houston to MD Anderson Hospital, the world centre for excellence for this type of cancer. She is now in MD Anderson, receiving the most outstanding care, however, none of this comes cheap. All of her life savings and teacher pension have been spent paying for the treatment to date.
"Costs for this in the U.S. are enormous. Prior to her trip to the U.S. Holly thought she had made adequate insurance provision for the trip, however at this stage it appears this is not the case.
"To date, she has received no financial assistance and is totally self-funding her treatment with support from her beautiful family. However, this has now become impossible to sustain. In addition, the U.S. system means costs often have to be paid in advance.
"Next week she hopes to start active treatment as her disease is progressing. It will start with two forms of radiation in the U.S. and then hopefully she will be allowed to fly home to the UK to continue further therapies.
"Sadly, existing immunotherapy used in the U.S. to treat this rare form of thyroid cancer is not available on the NHS (although it is used for other cancers in the UK). Again she will need to pay privately for this on her return home to the UK."
Denise, who has been friends with Ms Hartley for 30 years, reiterated that Holly has been 'fiercely private' about her cancer battle, only telling a close circle of family and friends.
She says her friend's deteriorating health has left her with 'no choice'.
She added: "She finds it very hard to ask for financial help and this is not something she is comfortable with. However, we have to be realistic - practically speaking we are left with no choice now and the financial stress of the situation is having a very negative impact on her ability to focus her energies where they are most needed."
Paying tribute to Holly's fighting spirit, Denise added: "Despite the size of the challenge ahead of her, Holly refuses to give up. This is not who she is. She remains emotionally strong. Life can be tough but it can also be rich and beautiful and Holly has been overwhelmed by the love and kindness that has been bestowed upon her since she arrived in the U.S. She firmly believes in the face of adversity that we have to keep going, never giving up hope.
"Anyone who knows Holly knows what an amazing, strong, and inspirational woman she is and one who has spent her whole life giving to others. Now it is time to ask for a little help to get her home to her wonderful girls and ease the immediate burden of extreme financial pressure she currently faces as a result of paying for treatment in the U.S.
"Any donations you can give however small will be so gratefully received and we can't thank you enough for your support."
Ms Hartley joined Thistley Hough Academy in 2008 as deputy head, before becoming headteacher from 2012 to 2018.