Irish woman Ciara Donnelly is fighting an extremely rare form of cancer that affects only one in a million.
The Bray native was diagnosed with Urachal Adenocarcinoma earlier this year.
According to the Irish Independent, the Urachus makes up your umbilical cord as a baby and stems from behind the belly button down to the bladder. For most people, this dissipates into nothing and causes no concern, however for a very rare few - one in a million people - it develops into a rare and aggressive cancer.
Donnelly was diagnosed after suffering back-to-back bladder infections for months without antibiotics kicking in. After going to A&E with severe back pain and a swollen stomach, doctors found two huge growths (one 20cm and one 10cm) on her ovaries.
To date, only two cases of Urachal Adenocarcinoma have been diagnosed in Ireland and there have only been 400 known cases in the US in the last 25 years.
Donnelly (34) is focusing on a vegan diet and incorporating more holistic lifestyle changes.
"She is discovering the benefits of Kangan water, wheatgrass, creating an alkaline ph level within her body and CBD. Ciara is finding these therapies and treatments helpful, giving her energy, helping her fight infection and helping to create an environment in her body within which cancer cannot survive," her sister Natalie wrote on Donnelly's GoFundMe page.
Qualified makeup artist Donnelly
The mother-of-two is also documenting her journey on her personal blog #nofilter.
To find out more about contributing to "Ciara's Keeping up with Cancer" fund, visit here.
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