Dream wedding hopes of terminally ill Blackpool mum

Mum-of three Michelle Jefferson Moore, 40, of Park Road, was told at the end of last year that she had terminal cancer.

The devastating news came in the same year that her former partner and father of her children, Lee Hindley died of sepsis after coming back from a holiday aboard.

Michelle, whose children are Brooke, 19, Ellie-Mae, 16 and LJ (Lee Junior), 12 does not know how long she has left as she endures bouts of gruelling chemotherapy.

The cancer formed in her gall bladder, then travelled into her liver and is now at metastatic stage 4.

Brave Michelle is doing her best to stay positive and she is hoping to tie the knot with partner Ash Smith, with whom she got engaged last year and who works as a security guard at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

They couple have been together for five years.

Michelle's younger sister, Stefi Jefferson, wants the wedding to be so perfect that she has started a crowdfunding page and in less than three weeks it has raised more than £10,000.

She hopes the money can also gives Michelle some peace of mind about the children she will have to leave behind.

Steffi, 33, of Collyhurst Avenue, said: "Michelle has been through so much in the past year and so have the children

"I just wanted to do something to help and make the time she left as special as possible for all of them.

"So I set up the crowdfunding page so there is enough money to make this wedding perfect for Michelle and leave a little over for the children.

"I can't thank people enough for being so generous, even people who don't know Michelle or me.

"I have also got a few other fundraisers planned as well in the next couple of weeks.

"It's been horrible for Michelle and I know she's worried about the children, they have already lost their dad and now their mum is terminally ill.

"But we come from a big family and we will all rally round to look after them."

The wedding plans come at a time when there is still uncertainty over the Covid pandemic and many other weddings have had to be cancelled because of the lockdowns.

Frustratingly, Michelle and Ash haven't been able to set a date yet because of the ongoing Covid situation and they have had to abandon plans to hold it abroad.

They now intend to marry some time in August, if possible, and are looking to hold the wedding in Blackpool instead.

Michelle said: "The original plan was to go abroad but because of Covid that won't be possible.

"We're now planning to have it in Blackpool so all our family and friends can come.

"I can't thank everyone enough for helping out like this, not just our family and friends but complete strangers."

After suffering for years with chronic pain and a long history of stomach complaints Michelle was finally diagnosed with cancer last year.

She was hoping to go on a trial drug but unfortunately does not have the correct blood type and has recently found out that the cancer has now spread to her lymph nodes and has been placed on end of life

Michelle is still undergoing a heavy course of chemotherapy to ensure she has the best possible chance of trying to contain the cancer for as much time with her family as possible.

She said: "I knew before the scan that I had cancer, I could just tell.

"It came as a shock but at the same time I knew.

"Basically now I'm just trying to stay alive!"

Stefi added: " I am just hoping the campaign can fund a holiday together with Ash and the children, where she can also marry her fiance with close family and friends around her and hopefully continue the fund to collect money to go to the children.

"I have genuinely never met anyone as strong as Michelle and amazingly she is taking all this in her stride and still manages to laugh and joke about her situation."

Among those helping with the fundraising was prolific fundraiser Big Ryan Smith, who raised funds via a sponsored walk from South Pier to Central Pier and back.

Ryan, who is a close friend of Ash but is not related to him, said: "I just wanted to do my bit because he is a friend of mine, and with everything they're going through."

The crowdfunding link is at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/michelles-terminal-cancer-wish-fund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR1b6TpwPOklSult2N-BN57AvkML5oTGhb36Kl3cM7qTEqSvJl-fXA4-H_U