A mum-of-three with incurable cancer is on quest to tick everything off her bucket list – including going to Disneyland and feeding a GIRAFFE.
Fran Buxton, 35, was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and has had chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a mastectomy and her ovaries removed to try and cure it.
But in April last year she was given the devastating news that the disease – which has left her with three tumours in her spine and a 3cm HOLE in her hip – is incurable.
Instead of letting the diagnosis get her down, Fran is trying to leave husband, car sales manager Van, 42, and children Matilda, four, Olivia, six, and Mia, 13, with happy memories.
She has penned a moving list of wishes and is on a mission to tick off every single one before she dies.
They include feeding a giraffe, taking her children to Disneyland, having a “proper” pizza, seeing the Northern Lights and having a carnival float based on herself.
Determined Fran, a professional photographer from Street, Somerset, said: “I don’t see cancer as my life – it’s part of my life, but it’s not my life.
“I don’t know how long I’ve got and I don’t want to know – how long have any of us got?
“All we have is today – tomorrow isn’t promised for anybody.”
Fran, who also has stepchildren, Jordan, 20, and Ben, 18, added: “I’m trying not to worry about how my family are going to be when I leave.
“I know I can’t do anything about it.
“I’m enjoying myself and living my life.”
Fran deals with her illness with bravery and humour, even taking a series of pictures as she lost her hair during chemo which she dubbed ‘fuzz watch’.
She said her inspiration comes from her “strong” grandma Joyce Weller, who also battled cancer but was determined to “make the most of life”.
She said: “I don’t won’t to live in a bubble and I want to leave my children with the image of a strong woman.”
But she admits that it’s not always easy and Van is her shoulder to cry on, adding: I have my down days, I’m not a robot.”
She plans to try and tick as many things as possible off her bucket list this year – and a parachute jump is likely to be the first thing.
The full list is:
1. Go to Italy and have a proper pizza
2. Go to Australia and see her wonderful family and friends
3. Do a parachute jump
4. Play Miss Hanigan in Annie on stage
5. Have a carnival float based on her
6. Got to Edinburgh for the comedy festival
7. See the Grand Canyon
8. Do a celebrity charity calender photo shoot
9. Have a back stage pass at Glastonbury
10. Go to Disneyland with her children
11. Visit Canada
12. Feed a giraffe
13. Raise lots of money for chemotherapy bus
14. See the northern lights with her husband
