Partner of St Johnstone star ‘utterly heartbroken’ at latest cancer setback

The partner of St Johnstone star Graham Carey says she is “utterly heartbroken” after the latest setback in her fight against cancer.

Mum-of-two Rachel Borthwick was diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time in just two years last November.

Then, following a scan in June this year, Rachel was told by doctors that they could not see any cancer after she had received immunotherapy treatment.

But in a post on Instagram, she revealed the treatment has stopped working for her.

‘This immunotherapy was supposed to be my miracle’

The post said: “After having clear scans four months ago, I now have a hot spot which is a node showing in my chest.

“It’s the same one that showed in the scan before treatment started.

“I also have another node round the back at my latissimus dorsi, which isn’t showing red so it’s classed as moderate, but it’s still not good.

“This basically means that the ‘breakthrough immunotherapy’ has stopped working for me.

“This immunotherapy was supposed to be my miracle.

“It has worked wonders for so many people with triple-negative (cancer) and I just cannot believe this is happening to me.”

Rachel added: “We are still in the process of making a plan but it is looking like more chemo which I do not want.

“This chemo would be given two weeks in a row with only one week off.

“More side effects, more needles, more pain, more hair loss.

“And then the question is, how long do I stay on it for? Until it stops working? Until my body can’t take any more?

‘I am not giving up’

“I would also need a port fitted in my chest because my veins are so wrecked that they wouldn’t cope with frequent cannulas.

“I am not giving up, but it’s starting to feel like a downward spiral.

“I am completely and utterly heartbroken.”

Rachel’s sister Sarah previously set up a GoFundMe page to help fund “alternative medicine”.

More than £71,000 has been raised so far, with an influx of donations following the latest update.