A VERWOOD mum suffering from a rare cancer needs £24,000 for a special treatment to buy her more time.

Dorset Primary Care Trust haven’t yet agreed to fund the ground-breaking new radiotherapy to target Juli Spendley’s spreading tumours, so friends and family are teaming up to do it themselves.

The 47-year-old, currently undergoing chemotherapy, was diagnosed with neuro-endocrine cancer, a slow-growing nerve-tissue disease, in September 2009 after several odd symptoms including chest aches, jaw pain and hip trouble.

Juli, a former nurse and health visitor, said: “I got them checked out individually, but it’s so hard to detect, and so rare the doctors don’t know what they’re looking for.

“I’ve always been fit and healthy, and had done four charity treks.

“But suddenly I just kept getting sicker and sicker.”

It took a special scan to pick up the neuro-endocrine tumours around Juli’s lungs, which have also spread to her liver.

It makes up just one per cent of cancer diagnoses.

“My friends and family were so devastated,” she said. “We couldn’t believe it really.

“The radionuclide therapy has a really great success rate at giving terminal patients another two years.

“In my case it would be a year. But that’s a long time when you feel it’s all going to fall apart.”

The Juli Spendley Foundation aims to raise awareness and vital money through sponsored walks, cycle rides and a possible charity day at Adventure Wonderland.

Colleagues at Poole College, where Juli was a health care and education manager, are also helping out.