Incredible bravery of woman who hosted 'chemo parties' during cancer fight

A husband and wife who held inspirational ‘chemo parties’ during her battle with cancer have raised more than £100,000 in four days towards an operation to see if he can save her life by donating part of his liver. Florence ‘Flo’ Moffat-Charles, 31, and husband Josh, 32, from Cumbria, have travelled to Turkey for tests this week after the NHS said she would be placed on palliative treatment in the UK.

The couple have been humbled by an astonishing deluge of more than 2,300 donations from complete strangers after starting a fundraising page at 11.30am on Sunday, with Josh simply writing, “I’m trying to save my wife’s life”. Former charity worker Flo began to feel unwell just after the couple were married on September 23, 2023.

She felt nauseous, tired, jaundiced, and generally run down, but brushed it off as stress from planning the couple’s big day. In January 2024, she was diagnosed with a rare progressive liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). PSC is progressive and can make sufferers more prone to developing cancer.

A year later Flo and Josh received the nightmare diagnosis a cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) tumour had developed in her bile duct. During a gruelling nine months of chemotherapy that followed, an indefatigable Flo decided to make the most of visits from friends and family by hosting ‘chemo parties’ from the very first day of her treatment.

Hilarious themes varied from a beach-chic day with parents Aidan and Jackie, cowgirl and double-denim, and hosting a mini hen party for her friend Grace, complete with mocktails. “I decided that I would call them ‘chemo parties’, even though obviously what was happening was awful; it was my coping mechanism and a way to make awful more bearable,” Flo told the Daily Express.

“I was always allowed one visitor during my chemotherapy sessions and I'm so fortunate that I've always had someone come with me.

“Each time we would decide a different theme and that amazing friend would usually come dressed up with a bag of snacks, some kind of headwear and the chemo days became bizarrely a day to look forward to.”

Flo’s immunotherapy and chemo sessions could last for seven hours at a time, but she said it gave her a unique opportunity to spend uninterrupted time with those closest to her.

She added: “You don’t always get that time with someone, so that was really cool, and with social media it was also a way to show what someone goes through with these treatments, people don’t necessarily know what it looks like.”

Speaking from the medical centre in Turkey where the couple are undergoing tests, Josh said his wife, who worked as a fundraiser for the Sands charity supporting parents affected by pregnancy loss, had dedicated her life to helping others and it was “tough” becoming someone who now needed help herself.

Josh posted the couple’s story on the networking site, LinkedIn, where he’s receieved close to 3,500 likes. He said: “It’s a testament to her character as a person to see this outpouring of support we’ve had on social media with complete strangers donating.

“We’ve had a company CEO anonymously give £1,000 and another chap give £10,000, which is just unbelievable.”

Flo and Josh, who live with their dog Spencer, are aiming to raise £200,000 to cover the cost of the transplant operation if the procedure involves Josh. It would also cover the costs if an organ is needed from another party.

So far, tests have shown Josh is a match for a transplant, but surgeons have also told the pair some factors mean they should also consider a donor.

To find out more about Flo and Josh's story, visit their fundraising page here