Fundraiser to help terminally ill young Lancaster graduate get home to Peru hits £150K target

A fundraiser to help a terminally ill 21-year-old Lancaster University graduate get home to South America has reached its £150,000 target in less than a week.

There has been a huge outpouring of support for Alexandra Angeles Caycho since the online GoFundme page was launched last Friday with donations coming in from all over the world.

Alex, who recently graduated from Lancaster University with a First Honours degree in Fine Art and Design, has stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Her final wish is to to be with her family in Peru, where she grew up.

But due to her condition, she will need to travel by medical air ambulance with doctors by her side to take care of her during the journey.

Read more: Fundraiser launched to help terminally ill Lancaster graduate, 21, return home to her family in Peru - Beyond Radio

Katie Foster, Alex's friend who set up the fundraising page, told Beyond Radio on Thursday: "It's absolutely incredible.

"It shows how beautiful the world can be, it's so heartwarming.

"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the generous donations and kind messages. 

"We have been absolutely overwhelmed with all the support we have received from the community. It is still shocking how quickly we have raised the money for Alex, it has brought comfort during this difficult time. we cannot thank you enough."

Katie, who set up the page on behalf of Alex's boyfriend Dylan Harris, posted on the fundraising page to say: "Thanks to your incredible generosity and kindness, we have reached the £150,000 milestone on our GoFundMe campaign.

"Words cannot fully express how much this means to me and my family.

"Your donations, shares, and messages of support have given us not only the financial assistance we so desperately needed but also the strength and hope to keep moving forward during this challenging time.

"Every contribution, no matter the size, has made a difference, and we are deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and even strangers who believe in our cause.

"This journey has been difficult, but knowing we have such a strong community standing behind us makes it so much easier to face the challenges ahead.

"Your support has lifted a tremendous burden off our shoulders, and we can now focus on what truly matters, all thanks to you.

"Going forward, any further donations will contribute to GoFundMe fees, funeral costs, unexpected costs and making sure Alex is as comfortable as possible in Peru."

Katie posted earlier this week that "after trying to coordinate Alex's travel, we have been strongly recommended that Alexandra be transported in a medical air ambulance rather than through an assisted commercial flight.

"This recommendation comes because Alexandra's condition has worsened over the weekend, and her current state requires the specialised care and safety measures that only a medical air ambulance can provide.

"While this option does come at a significantly higher cost, estimated at around £150,000, it is much safer for several reasons: the air ambulance is staffed with highly trained medical personnel who can provide immediate care and monitor Alexandra's condition throughout the flight, the aircraft is equipped with life-saving medical equipment similar to what is found in an ICU, ensuring that any medical needs can be promptly addressed, the flight environment can be adjusted to ensure Alexandra's comfort and safety, including cabin pressure, temperature, and noise levels, the air ambulance can offer a direct flight to the destination, minimising travel time and avoiding the physical stress of layovers or transfers, the private setting of the air ambulance minimizes exposure to other passengers, significantly reducing the risk of infection.

"Given these factors, the air ambulance is the safest option for Alexandra in her current condition."

Alex was diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer on March 17 2023, aged just 20.

Here is Alex with her boyfriend Dylan at graduation at Lancaster University this summer.

She is currently in hospital in Liverpool.

"My future was bright, and I was so excited to start my journey as an artist," she posted on the fundraising page.

"But on March 17th, 2023, everything changed. At just 20 years old, I received the devastating news that I had been diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer. 

"The doctors were shocked; they told me it was almost impossible for someone my age to have this disease.

"Yet, here I am, facing a battle that no one should ever have to fight.

"Since then, I’ve been through endless rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and countless hospital stays. I’ve tried to stay strong, to keep fighting with everything I have, but unfortunately, my journey is coming to an end.

"Despite all the treatments, the cancer has spread throughout my body. The tumour in my pancreas has grown so much that it’s pressing against my intestines, causing internal bleeding. The doctors have explained that there’s nothing more they can do—treatment is no longer an option. They’ve given me a timeframe of just days to weeks to live.

"This news has shattered me, and it’s been a massive shock to my friends and family as well. I never imagined my life would end this way, so soon, with so much left undone. But now, more than anything, I want to spend my last days surrounded by the people I love, in the place that means the most to me—home.

"My last wish is to return to Peru, to be with my family in the place where I grew up, where I have so many happy memories. I can’t imagine being anywhere else in these final days. But getting there isn’t going to be easy. 

"This is why I’m reaching out to you all, asking for your help. The cost of (transportation) and the medical care I need during the flight is far beyond anything my family and I can afford.

"Any contribution, no matter how small, would mean the world to me. Your kindness could help me fulfil my last wish to go home, to be with my family, and to spend my final moments in a place where I feel at peace."

Alex's fundraising page can be found HERE.