A WOMAN from near York, whose dad died last month after a battle with motor neurone disease, has set up an online fundraising page to help prolong her mum's life.

Julie Atkinson, 56, from Helperby, has lung cancer and has been receiving a treatment - immunotherapy - that is not available on the NHS. She is also being given chemotherapy.

Her husband's medical insurance covered the costs for the private treatment, but Bill died on December 2, and funding for the treatment will stop at the end of January.

Now Julie's daughter April, 20, from Huby, has created a Just Giving page in a bid to try and raise £80,000 for Julie's treatment.

April said: "Eighteen months ago my life was turned upside down when both my parents were diagnosed with terminal illnesses within a month of each other. My mum was diagnosed in August 2018 with stage four small cell cancer in the lung that spread to the brain and lymph nodes. And my dad was diagnosed with motor neurone disease June 2018.

"After two years of never ending fighting and pain my dad passed away at a young age of 54 on December 2 2019 to motor neurone disease. This has tore my family apart.

"My mum had gamma knife in December 2018 which has kept the tumours at bay on the brain.The cancer has spread too far to just be removed. But the treatment she is getting is immunotherapy and chemo which she was receiving privately through my dad's work medical insurance, but since his passing there is no way to keep that going. The treatment is keeping the tumours small and stopping it from spreading any further. Unfortunately this type of immunotherapy isn’t available on the NHS as its an unlicensed drug. She needs this treatment to carry on living."

She says the money will "change our lives," with donations paying for Julie's treatment to hopefully stop her cancer from spreading.

"Before my dad died he asked me and my brother to look after mum and to keep our family together.

"I've already lost my dad. I can’t lose my mum too."

Any donations unused will be given to cancer research and motor neurone disease research.

You can visit April's Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpjulie2020 if you would like to make a donation.