'Miracle drug' provides ray of hope in Jade's desperate fight to stay alive

Cancer-stricken Jade Goody has been given a ray of hope in the form of a new 'miracle drug'.
The 27-year-old, who is fighting for her life after being told the disease had spread to her bowel, groin and liver, is to begin a two-month course of Topotecan.
Jade said last night: 'It has given me a glimmer of hope.'
And a family friend told the Sun: 'We hope it'll keep Jade with us a long time.'
Professor Martin Gore, medical director at the Royal Marsden Hospital, told Jade he wanted to start her on Topotecan, also called Hycamtin, after conventional chemotherapy failed.
The drug will probably be administered via a drip while the Big Brother star continues her chemotherapy.Based on a substance found in a Chinese tree, Topotecan was given the green light in 2007 after successful trials.It is normally given in only in advanced cases of cervical cancer and is seen as the last line of defence.The drug works by blocking an enzyme that can strengthen cancer cells, and a scan will show if the tumours are responding.
Side-effects can include bruising, bleeding, tiredness and sickness.The mother-of-two will undergo three weeks of chemo and Topotecan, before taking a week's rest and continuing with three more weeks of treatment.Her publicist Max Clifford said of the drug: 'People in the same situation who have taken this drug have seen encouraging results.''The information that was given to her left her thinking there was no way forward.The Big Brother star says she is 'frightened and angry''But this has given her a glimmer of hope. At the end of the day she is a young woman with two children and she is going to do everything in her power to prolong her life.'After hearing news that the cancer had spread Jade sobbed 'I don't want to die'.Earlier this week doctors said that the extent of her cancer was so bad that they are focusing on keeping her alive for as long as possible rather than pursuing a cure.'I am devastated,' Miss Goody said yesterday. 'I am frightened and I am angry. I don't want to die because I have so much to live for.'The reality is I have gone from a 40 per cent chance of a cure to seeing how long I can stay alive. The whole thing is so absolutely terrifying.'
The mother of two was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer last August and underwent emergency surgery to remove a large tumour, her womb and her ovaries.Since then, she has had several bouts of chemotherapy, causing all her hair to fall out.Only 15 per cent to 30 per cent of women with stage 4 cervical cancer will live longer than five years.Doctors had told her she had a 40 per cent of survival but have now scrapped this estimate since discovering the cancer has spread.Jade, who made her name on the 2002 series of Big Brother, is preparing a will and has told close family members to expect the worst.Her boyfriend Jack Tweed, 21, is said to be 'numb' at the news, while her mother Jackiey Budden, 50, has been 'in pieces' at her bedside.
Her two sons, five-year-old Bobby and Freddie, four, are staying with their father, TV presenter Jeff Brazier.
Miss Goody first had pre-cancerous cells removed at 16 and has since suffered a series of collapses.Three years ago, she was admitted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, with stomach cramps.But it was not until August last year, during filming of the Indian version of Big Brother, that she was told she had cervical cancer.She later admitted she had ignored a hospital letter warning her that she needed treatment after a fourth smear test came back as abnormal.
She said she had hoped the disease would go away on its own and that she needed to appear on Big Brother to collect a £100,000 fee.

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True love and cupcakes: Shilpa Shetty on feeling sorry for Jade Goody, her plans for marriage... and her secret vice

Although a highly successful Bollywood actress with more than 50 films to her name, Shilpa Shetty, 33, became famous in this country after winning last year's Celebrity Big Brother, following an international racism controversy involving fellow contestant Jade Goody.

One year on, Shilpa has been hosting Bigg Boss, the Indian version of the show, as well as continuing with her acting career. She is dating London-based entrepreneur Raj Kundra, 32, but still lives with her parents in Mumbai.


Jade Goody was a controversial participant in Big Boss until she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to leave the show. How did you feel when you heard the news?

It was a huge shock. When you know anybody who gets diagnosed with something like this, whatever the circumstances, it's always horrible news. With Jade it was one shock after another, in a way - first her coming out to India to do the show, then hearing about her illness. It all happened very fast and it was difficult to take in. I spoke to her before she returned to the UK, but it was a very private conversation that I won't share. She knows we've buried the hatchet. Life's too short to bear any hatred. I can only pray that she makes a full recovery.


Does your stint on Big Brother seem strangely surreal now?

In a way, yes, although it was also a huge catalyst in terms of bringing about all the opportunities I've had since, so I owe the show a lot. I'd achieved success in India, but I didn't have that international platform - and I'm not embarrassed to say that I have it now because of Big Brother. I'm very aware that the UK public stood up for me and for what was right, and I'm very grateful for that. Everyone in life makes mistakes - you learn from them and move on.

What lessons did you learn from your time in the Big Brother house?

I had no idea I had the kind of patience I had. When you're living your life in the outside world, you have this notion of the kind of person you are. Then, suddenly, you're effectively under house arrest and you find all your preconceived ideas really tested. I'm glad I kept my calm. I realised that grace under pressure is one of life's most valuable commodities.


The show opened a lot of doors for you...

Absolutely. I'm very aware now that being a celebrity has the advantage of giving you leverage, and the freedom to pick and chose. Now,I'm even producing my own film, which I never thought I'd do. It’s stressful, but wonderful. Having talked to friends who are mothers, it seems to be very similar to having a baby.

Talking of which, would you like a family of your own?

Definitely, and I'm sure I will, God willing. I intend to try and do that as soon as my professional life has calmed down hopefully in the
next couple of years. I don't want to make too many predictions as I don’t believe in making too many plans, but, yes, I have a man in my life and, yes, I hope we will get married.

Tell us more...

The best thing is when your partner loves you for who you are and you don’t feel you have to change for him. That’s what I feel I have with Raj. It's not always easy - Raj lives in London and I live in Mumbai, so it's a long-distance relationship and we have to work at it. But it also means that we value each other more. Although, sometimes, I think that it can be harder when you have someone breathing down your neck the whole time. I think we women are often confused, actually - one minute we're complaining about not being valued enough, then the next, we're saying, 'I need my space'. We don't always know what we want. But at the moment I feel extremely blessed.

I take it your parents approve?

Oh, absolutely. It wouldn’t have lasted if they didn't. I still live at home with them, and I only intend to move out when I get married. I know a lot of people in the UK find it strange, but we just have a different value system over here, and it's a case of us all learning to respect that. I think Brits are far more independent at a much earlier age, which is wonderful in many ways, but I also think it’s much harder for them, too. In many ways life is much easier in India, because we don't have the same pressures, and the support system in terms of the way the family works is amazing.

Do you worry about getting older?

No, not at all. I don't want to come across like I'm really boring and, 'Oh, everything's perfect,' but I really don't. Of course, I'm aware I'm getting older, but I'll take it as it comes - I'm not averse to having Botox, for example, but I just don't feel I need it yet. The way I see it, I spent a long time getting comfortable with who I am. I was an ugly duckling as a child, and it took a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, where I’m not so self-critical. I still don't think I’m as good-looking as my sister, Shamita, or even my mother, who is stunning, even now. But I've metamorphosed into the person I am today, and I'm pretty content.

Any guilty pleasures?

Cupcakes! I love them, especially chocolate ones. I tend to hunt them down wherever I am in the world and find the best the city has to
offer. I've had a few cupcake binges over the years. In fact, I have a terrible sweet tooth. But I also think it's a fallacy that chocolate is bad for you. As long as you're following a good diet, then one or two pieces of chocolate a day is fine.

Cupcakes aside, how would you spend your ideal day?

An ideal day is one where I'm not working and I don't have anywhere to go. I'd do very little, sleep in till ten or so, and just hang out at home. Maybe go to a spa for a massage and then for a quiet dinner with Raj. But life is pretty manic at the moment, so I don't get to do this very often - although I'm not complaining.

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'I was told to have cancer operation FOUR times,' reveals Jade in emotional new interview

Jade Goody ignored a letter warning her she needed to have abnormal cells removed from her cervix because she was too scared to go back to hospital.

The 27-year-old Big Brother star, who is now fighting advanced cervical cancer, had already had three abnormal smear tests and after each had endured an operation to remove the cells.

But after her fourth abnormal smear she ignored a letter telling her to return to hospital, instead hoping it would go away on its own.

'When I heard I had more abnormal cells I thought, "this is the fourth time I've been told I need to have the same operation now,' she told Heat Magazine.

'Once you have them burnt off they shouldn't come back, I was too scared.'

It was only after the mother-of-two collapsed from blood loss on August 5, for the fourth time in four years, that she realised she couldn't ignore her condition.

'The doctors were doing tests for my blood loss - but they seemed unclear about what it could be. It was then that I was told I must have another operation on the dodgy cells on my cervix.

'They'd sent a letter to me ages ago telling me I needed to go in, but I'd been too scared to do anything about it.'

Jade's first had an abnormal smear test when she was just 16.

'Even before I was sexually active, I had to have pre-cancerous cells removed. And that nearly traumatised me for life, it was so painful.'

After collapsing in August Jade was warned that she could be facing a terminal illness, but she decided to go ahead with her trip to India. She reasoned that the £100,000 fee would be needed to raise her two young sons if she fell ill.

She is now due to have an urgent hysterectomy to remove her womb, followed by an intensive course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

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