A young mother from Wakefield is urgently appealing to the public for support, as she faces the most harrowing challenge of her life—a terminal cancer diagnosis and the desperate need to secure her son’s future. Thirty-three-year-old Keelie Towler is seeking to raise £70,000 for potentially life-extending treatment in Mexico, determined to make more memories with her five-year-old son, Rupert, after both endured a series of devastating events.
Keelie’s journey took a heartbreaking turn in 2020 when, shortly after giving birth to Rupert, she discovered an unusual lump while breastfeeding. Initially dismissing it as a routine blocked milk duct, Keelie was shocked when scans revealed a much grimmer reality. “I expected the doctor to reassure me, but when cancer was mentioned, my world just stopped,” she recalled. Her focus instantly became her young son’s future and wellbeing.
The months that followed were draining—Keelie underwent seven months of rigorous treatment, surgery, thirteen rounds of chemotherapy, and fifteen radiotherapy sessions. The ordeal culminated in good news, with Keelie declared cancer-free by the end of 2022. Buoyed by her recovery, Keelie and her husband, Scott, made the bold decision to move into a larger home, intent on embracing a happier chapter for their small family.
However, their renewed optimism was tragically short-lived. Early in 2023, Scott suffered a sudden blood clot and died unexpectedly in the family’s new home. Keelie was left to process unimaginable grief, all while trying to remain strong for Rupert, then just two years old. “Losing Scott was beyond devastating. One moment he was there, the next he was just gone,” Keelie said, reflecting on the unimaginable trauma both she and her son endured.
Determined not to let tragedy define their lives, Keelie strove to rebuild a sense of stability. But soon afterwards, she began experiencing troubling symptoms—persistent headaches and problems with coordination. Assuming it was a consequence of stress and grief, she initially dismissed her declining health. “I tried to ignore it, but I knew something was badly wrong,” she recounted.
A hospital visit for what she thought was a minor issue soon turned catastrophic. Scans revealed that not only had Keelie’s cancer returned, but it had aggressively spread to her brain. Treatment with gamma knife surgery initially showed promise, and her tumour shrank briefly. But the hope didn’t last—within months, the cancer returned, this time dangerously close to a critical artery.
In February 2025, doctors attempted further surgery, but Keelie suffered a stroke during the operation. She was left temporarily unable to move the right side of her body or speak, and subsequent scans revealed that what little of the tumour had been removed had swiftly regrown. Facing the bleak reality, Keelie has been told she has between twelve and eighteen months to live.
Despite this prognosis, she is resolute in her fight for more time with Rupert. She has ensured her son will be cared for by her mum and stepdad if the worst occurs, but her sights remain firmly set on pursuing a last-chance treatment abroad. Keelie’s fundraising effort seeks to afford her treatment in Mexico, which could provide hope of extending her life and creating lasting moments with her son. “I just want to see Rupert grow up. He’s been through so much already, I won’t give up fighting for him,” Keelie said.
Her story underscores the relentless uncertainties families face when struck by serious illness, and her appeal now stands as both a call for help and a testament to maternal resilience. As support for her campaign gathers momentum, Keelie hopes to defy the odds a little longer—for her sake, and, most poignantly, for Rupert’s future.