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Caitlin Leggett, an identical twin, has been given a prognosis of just six months to live following the return of her leukaemia. After initially achieving remission through chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, Caitlin discovered in May that her cancer had relapsed, with treatment options within the UK offering little hope for a cure. Facing these dire circumstances, Caitlin and her twin sister Grace are now striving to raise £500,000 to fund potentially life-saving treatment overseas.
The sisters’ bond has always been especially close—they only recently learned that they were identical twins after Caitlin’s diagnosis. Initially, doctors believed they were fraternal twins, as Caitlin and Grace developed in separate amniotic sacs. However, genetic testing revealed that their DNA was nearly identical. This discovery complicated Caitlin’s treatment, as Grace was deemed ineligible to donate stem cells because of their almost identical genetic makeup. This loss of a potential donor added an extra layer of difficulty to an already challenging battle against the disease.
Caitlin’s illness first came to light after she developed an unusual rash in March 2024, shortly before she was due to undergo medical assessments for her planned career in the Army as an intelligence officer. Blood tests and subsequent hospital visits quickly revealed the seriousness of her condition. Despite treatments that included chemotherapy, clinical trials with experimental drugs such as menin inhibitors and Bleximenib, and a stem cell transplant supplemented with full-body radiotherapy, Caitlin’s leukaemia repeatedly returned. Doctors have since informed her that a second stem cell transplant is not an option within the UK, and current therapies can only extend her life by months rather than provide a cure.
With limited options at home, Caitlin is now exploring specialised treatments abroad, including advanced therapies in the United States and CAR-T cell therapy in Asia. These medical procedures carry costs that could exceed half a million pounds, which the sisters are trying to raise through a dedicated fundraising campaign. Grace has left her job and moved back to Cardiff to support Caitlin through this journey. Reflecting on their situation, Caitlin expressed the heartbreak of facing such a future so young: “At 24, I always assumed I had my whole life ahead of me. There are so many things I still want to do, places I want to see and memories I want to make with the people I love.” The twins remain determined to fight for more time together, unwilling to accept that their story may end prematurely
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