Pride of Britain winner Tony Hudgell's mum reveals she's battling stage four cancer
The devoted mum who gave Tony Hudgell a second chance at life has shared the devastating news that she's now fighting stage four lung cancer after her cancer returned and spread.
Paula Hudgell, who won national praise for her tireless campaigning on child abuse laws, revealed that her cancer has not only returned but has spread - nearly two years after she was first diagnosed. The 57-year-old former nurse adopted Tony in 2016 after he was left with life-changing injuries by his birth parents. The abuse little Tony suffered was so severe that both of the youngster's legs had to be amputated.
Paula, who was honoured with an OBE in 2022 for her fight to bring about Tony's Law, was diagnosed with bowel cancer that same year. But in a moving social media post on Saturday, she told followers the disease has now progressed.
'It's been a really tough few weeks,' she wrote in an emotional Instagram message. 'In 2022, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer - and after feeling the best I have in years, I've now been hit with the heartbreaking news that it's returned, and this time it's also in my lung. Stage 4. It's been a huge shock, and it's taken some time for us to get our heads around it.'
Sharing a photo of the marking left on her chest from the portacath used to deliver treatment, she added: 'In ten days, I'll start aggressive chemo. We don't know exactly what the future holds, but I'm ready to give this the biggest fight of my life.'
Paula lives in Kent with her husband Mark and their children, including Tony, now 10. The couple adopted him after he survived unimaginable abuse as a baby - suffering fractures, sepsis, organ failure, and ultimately losing both legs.
But despite his brutal start in life, Tony has defied all odds. He has walked on prosthetics, raised over £1.8 million for charity, and become a national hero - winning a Pride of Britain award and receiving heartfelt praise from the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Paula's relentless campaigning alongside MPs and child protection charities led to the introduction of Tony's Law in 2022, increasing the maximum jail terms for those who cause or allow serious harm or death to a child.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Scotsman
Mothers still count the cost of caring
Paula Radcliffe | AFP via Getty Images A new survey has revealed the financial folly of being overdependent on one half of a parenting partnership Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... New research has warned about the financial impact of having one parent solely responsible when a child is sick or injured, with mothers still carrying most of the caring responsibilities. The report from insurance provider MetLife found that 77 per cent of people in Scotland said they turned to their mum for care when they were sick or injured, while only 13 per cent said they would go to their dad. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While MetLife described such behaviour as a completely natural reaction, the insurer said it can put a lot of pressure on mums –especially when it comes to juggling work and home some 36 per cent of parents in Scotland worry about how their boss will react if they need to take time off to look after a poorly child. Regardless of a child's parental preference, the need for sudden or emergency childcare can instantly create a whole host of problems for families, according to the research. Financial worries are common for UK parents, with more than a quarter fearing losing income when having to take time out of work to care for an ill or injured child. More than a third worry about the impact on their work and inevitably how it would affect their career progression. More than half of UK parents try to plan ahead when they know they'll need to provide more care, with this group opting to reserve some annual leave. However, if an extended amount of time off work to provide childcare were needed, then as many as 77 per cent of working parents would be at financial risk due to not having an emergency fund in place. Thinking about her own experience juggling parenthood and a renowned sporting career as Team GB former long-distance champion and marathon world record holder, Paula Radcliffe MBE is supporting MetLife's research by sharing her own parenting experiences. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Paula's story highlights the high stakes when balancing a career with parenthood –particularly for mums. When her daughter, Isla, faced a rare form of ovarian cancer at just 13 years old, Paula was forced to take a step away from competing and punditry to manage multiple stays in the hospital with her ill daughter. She now urges parents to seriously consider getting insurance to ease any financial strain if the unexpected happens. This year Isla, now 18, completed the London Marathon in a moment the family said they will cherish forever. Paula recalls: 'When Isla was diagnosed, it triggered a huge range of emotions, including fear, stress and uncertainty of what her and our family's future would look like. On top of this, I had to make the difficult but necessary decision to step away from my work commitments and TV career as a sports pundit so I could throw myself into the care she needed; directly resulting in a significant loss of income which was hard given I was the main breadwinner at that time. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Illness and accidents are not something we can prepare for and can happen when we least expect it, so, I urge all families to think about protection products such as ChildShield and consider how they might best prepare should they need to care for loved ones.' Phil Jeynes, head of individual protection at MetLife UK, adds: 'It's every parent's worst nightmare when their child becomes seriously ill or injured. And any additional worries about loss of income and extra expenses only compound the worry.' ChildShield from MetLife is designed to provide financial protection should parents need it – for situations such as having to take time off work to care for their child(ren) – removing some of the stress and worry parents face if their child were to become seriously ill or have an accident. Practical Paula Paula Radcliffe shares her top-five tips for working parents 1 Prepare for summer overstimulation Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Children are likely to be running around, climbing, and having fun. But with all that energy and excitement comes a greater risk of bumps, bruises, or even more serious injuries like broken bones or sporting mishaps. 2 Share the childcare load Let's face it – when kids are feeling unwell or have had a bump or fall, they usually want mum. Sharing the load a bit more at home can really help ease that pressure and make things a little easier all round. 3 Try to have a safety net None of us like to think about our children facing a serious illness or injury, but having a financial safety net in place can make a huge difference if the unexpected happens. 4 Consider what support you can get When Isla got sick, I gave up everything to focus solely on her and the treatment she needed. 5 Think about round-the-clock GP access Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
ITV News
6 days ago
- ITV News
The Pride of Britain hero with terminal cancer walking to give others hope - and a chance to live
Pride of Britain fundraiser Ian Hensley has conquered the 268-mile Pennine Way, all in support of a cure for cancer that he will not live to see. Sophie Wiggins joined him for ITV News Anglia. 'I've been walking in the mountains since I was 12. If I could die on top of a mountain, I'd be quite happy.' Ian Hensley says this with a quiet conviction. At 71 years old, with a crumbling spine, a terminal diagnosis, and three years of chemotherapy behind him, he has just completed a 268-mile walk along the famous Pennine Way. A walk that ITV News Anglia joined him on for a few days. It's a challenge many wouldn't attempt in full health, never mind living with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer that weakens the bones and drains the body. But Ian, from Northamptonshire, did it anyway, making it from Edale in the Peak District to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish borders. All to raise money for a cure he knows he will never see. "They've been looking for a cure for more than 20 years," says Ian. "I just thought if I could raise enough money to go towards a cure, well, it won't help me, but it'll help others'. He was diagnosed in 2021, and given a life expectancy of just two to five years. Last year, he completed the Coast to Coast walk, and became ITV News Anglia's regional fundraiser of the year, which landed him a spot as a finalist at the national Pride of Britain Awards. After all of that, he decided to take on one of Britain's toughest long-distance trails. Some days, he says, he was in so much pain he needed morphine to keep moving. At his lowest, he fell and stumbled over and over again, but nothing stopped him from getting back up each time. He admits that he felt a lot fitter this time last year. 'My fitness isn't where it was," he says. "Because of the cancer, quite simply, my body isn't the same. Some days I was so out of it I don't know how I did the miles, but I did. "I just got up the next day and did them again.' I joined him for part of his walk at around the halfway mark, near Middleton-in-Teesdale. 'My legs are not working very well, and my back hurts," Ian tells me. "My breathing is a bit difficult. But other than that I'm okay, so I will carry on. Let's just keep going.' It's not just the miles that matter, it's what they represent. Every step was a small act of rebellion against the limitations of his body, and a quiet vow to keep going, for as long as he can. The three-week journey took him, and the various family members and friends who joined him each day, up mountains, through moorlands, across limestone pavements and peat bogs. Ian's connection to the outdoors runs deep. He spent years as a scout leader, leading others through wilderness. When asked why he loves being outdoors so much, he says: 'I like the solitude, especially at night-time when all the crowds are gone and it's just you left." "It's a place to be calm and quiet.' Ian says it's his friends and family who got him through the challenge. His best friend David not only helped with the logistics and planning, but walked with him, helped to administer medications and more. His friend Grant, "the taxi", ferried him between stops and brought cups of tea during breaks. He was joined by his daughter Hannah too along the trail. Strangers became supporters - rangers, walkers, farmers. Ian told many people along the way about his mission and several were happy to hand over cash there and then for the cause. His wife Gill, Ian says, has been his rock throughout. She says: 'We've said from the start of this that we're in this together. I was worried and had my reservations, but I knew that if he said he could do it, then he'd do it. "Its been hard for us, everything's a lot slower for him now, but he did it, and it's just amazing. He's just so inspirational.' Ian has now raised over £25,000 for Myeloma UK to go towards funding that much-needed cure. When asked how he finds the motivation to complete such a challenge, Ian's answer is simple. 'Because you have to," he says. "You have to just keep going." Ian and his family say they don't really know what the next year will hold. 'We don't have any more big walks planned for the foreseeable, but it's not totally out of the question," he tells me. For now, he says he wants to focus on his health, on enjoying dog walks round the village, spending time with his wife, Gill, and supporting his grandson, Charlie, who is currently training to run the London Marathon for Myeloma UK. 'We don't know how long I've got,' he said. 'But this gave me something to aim for - through the hardest part of my life, and I don't plan to stop walking yet.'
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Little girl's organ donation plea for Keir Starmer as she delivers letter to No 10
Little Beatrix Adamson-Archbold spent more than 15 months waiting in hospital for a heart transplant - her dad is now campaigning to put organ donor lessons on the national curriculum A little girl who spent more than a year waiting for a critical heart transplant has delivered a letter to No 10 appealing for organ donation lessons in schools. Beatrix Adamson-Archbold waited more than 15 months in hospital for her heart transplant, leading her devoted dad Terry Archbold to campaign for organ donor lessons to be part of the national curriculum. He decided to make the four-year-old's letter a special delivery. Terry, a police officer from Burnopfield, Co Durham, has won the support of his local Labour MP Liz Twist. He said: "Bea had a great day out, everyone was so kind to her. We have spoken a great deal about organ donation and I decided to put down everything she said in a letter to the Prime Minister." "She knew he was the 'boss of the country' and we were going to his home." Bea wrote to Sir Keir: "Hello, my name is Beatrix and I am 4 years old, what is your name? I will be 5 when it is my next birthday. I have a special heart, I had a heart transplant and it saved my life. "When I grow up I want to be a Doctor and a Unicorn Rider all at the same time. I want to be a Doctor to help people. Helping people and other children like me is nice. "I would like you to talk about special hearts and organs, I had a poorly heart but when I had a heart transplant it made me better. I want you to talk to my Dad about organs. "He says the more we talk about it the more poorly people we can help save. Kids like me. I have a school book which teaches about organs, it is an Orgamite book and I want to give it to you as a present." Now thriving, Bea is a testament to the miracle of transplant surgery. Terry told of the costs to the NHS for her care prior to her op in June 2023 at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle; 30 days in paediatric intensive care, 425 days in the high dependency unit and fitting a mechanical heart to keep her alive cost more than £1m. Terry, 47, believes school lessons about organ donation for children of all ages would raise awareness, increase the number of donors and reduce the cost burden on the NHS. He was in London with Bea's mum Cheryl Adamson, 42, a council worker, who collected a British Citizen Award for her work with Bea's 500 Club, a group which supports good causes and people in need. The couple have seen both sides of the transplant journey. In 2018, they lost their daughter Isabel (c) when she was stillborn and they donated her heart for medical research. Terry has also written to the PM. He is being supported in his crusade by Sergio Petrucci, who won a Pride of Britain award for his work with the Red Sky Foundation, and Orgamites, the group which teaches about organ donation in schools. The government is considering an independent review on the national curriculum with Professor Becky Francis and her expert panel giving their recommendations late last year.
