THE profound kindness and generosity of strangers has generated an incredible £30,000 in two weeks to send a mum suffering from a rare double illness combination to Thailand for pioneering medical treatment.
The Breathe for Jo campaign to raise £30,000 in 30 days was launched in the Echo on April 10, and 15 days later readers and other well-wishers smashed the ambitious target a fortnight ahead of schedule, throwing Jo Smith, 36, her one and only lifeline.
The former Exeter College student, who is suffering from rare heart and lung disease pulmonary hypertension and lymphatic cancer, has pledged her heartfelt thanks to all those who have donated to help pay for the specialist medical treatment.
The campaign was set up by Jo's best friend Sarah Lacey, 36.
Jo, who is mum to three-year-old Rudey, and lives in Broadhembury, near Honiton, said: "I don't know how it is possible to even come close to adequately expressing my eternal gratitude to so many people who have just made it possible for me to go to Thailand for treatment that could save my life.
"I would like to thank the Express & Echo for their continuous support, reporting my story so sensitively and for making this even possible.
"For my lovely friends, family and strangers who donated so much money in such a short space of time, sent me messages of love and support, shared my story and offered to help, you are amazing, kind and generous.
"I feel so overwhelmed. It really means the world to me, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
"And especially to Sarah, who is so determined to get me better, I am so lucky to have such an incredible friend who is there for me every step of the way.
"I may be having a tough time, but it doesn't feel so daunting now. I feel incredibly lucky and very optimistic about what the future now holds for me."
On day 14, the campaign had hit £22,000. Then a surge in compassion came overnight last Friday, April 25, with an incredible £8,000 pledged in a few hours, including an anonymous donation of £5,000.
This reaction was prompted by the tragic announcement via the Echo's website, Facebook and Twitter pages that fundraising music festival Breathe Fest, scheduled for July in Exeter's Northernhay Gardens, had to be postponed because Jo's health is deteriorating so rapidly that she needs imminent treatment.
Jo is thought to be the only person in the world with these two diseases for which she cannot receive treatment. She is caught in a devastating catch-22 situation, unable to undergo treatment for the cancer because of the risk to her heart and lungs which have been weakened by the PH.
Neither can she be put on a waiting list for a heart and lung transplant, because she has cancer.
Specialist PH doctors at Hammersmith Hospital in London recently ran tests which found the disease had significantly advanced and, devastatingly, they also discovered a five centimetre wide mass where she originally had a huge tumour removed.
But Jo cannot have what is thought to be another tumour removed because she will have only a 50/50 chance of surviving the operation due to her PH.
She already took this risk when the first tumour was discovered and made a promise to herself and her son that she would never take such a risk again.
Jo's only lifeline is a doctor at the Better Being Hospital in Bangkok who is pioneering a type of immunotherapy treatment which could cure her cancer and halt the PH.
Now that the target has been exceeded, as soon as the funds pledged via the Just Giving page are released on May 9, Jo and Sarah will be booking their flights. Their intention had been to wait until after the festival, never imagining that the funds would be raised in such a short space of time, or that Jo would need to leave so urgently.
Sarah said: "Words cannot express what we feel right now – happy, shocked, overwhelmed, massively grateful and gobsmacked.
"To all who have donated – your kindness has given us hope and a genuine chance of beating two rotten terminal diseases."
Anyone who has already bought tickets for the festival is eligible for a full refund.
Any additional funds donated over and above those needed to help Jo will be pledged to other charities supporting people suffering with rare heart and lung conditions or cancer.
To donate, visit www.justgiv ing.com/yimby/breatheforjo campaign
