A family has stepped up its appeal after finding a mother’s cancer was inoperable.

Meghan Heady, 30, launched a fundraiser with sister Lora, 32 and brother Stephen, 39, for mum Maxine Toader, who suffers from stage four bowel cancer.

The family originally hoped to raise £1,000 to help Maxine, 62, and her partner afford her treatment.

However, surgeons found a problem during surgery which should have helped clear the cancer.

Meghan, of Tenterfield Road, Maldon, said: “Our mum had a laparoscopy to check her small bowel before they went ahead with the operation.

“Unfortunately, what they found means she won’t be able to have the operation to remove the remaining disease, as they have found several nodules that aren’t treatable surgically.

“They will give her continued chemotherapy for as long as she responds to it, but they cannot do anything else.”

As a result the family is now trying to raise £12,000 to fund an alternative treatment called regional hyperthermia as well as high dose vitamin C to at least contain the disease.

Meghan said: “It is now essential we get this money to help her – it is life or death.

“It was a bit of a shock to all of us because before that everything had been so positive.

“It was the last thing we expected to hear. Mum is terrified.”

The family have found fundraising slow so far, however, Meghan said she has raised almost £1,000 through an auction on Instagram, which took place today.

The event and an appearance at the Feel Good Fair at Honywood School, in Coggeshall, on Sunday, March 10 are incredibly important to the family.

Meghan said: “I cannot describe what it is like to have the worry that your mum might die.

“It would be a relief for us to have the money to help her.

“The last year has been a really hard time for everyone, so it would mean so much to help her.”

To find out more about Meghan’s Instagram auction, follow @olive_uma_and_mama and to donate, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/meghan-heady.