A Bridgnorth woman who has battled against a rare form of stomach cancer since the age of three and was told she wouldn’t see her 15th birthday, has defied the illness to launch her own business.
Jessica Llewellyn, 21, recently launched Sarah Jessica Parties, which provides mobile hair and beauty parties for young girls.She was first diagnosed at the age of three with mesothelioma, which led to several courses of chemotherapy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
After losing her hair she thought she had beaten the disease, but at the age of 14 the cancer returned aggressively. She was given more vigorous chemotherapy and was told she wouldn’t see be able to celebrate her next birthday, but bravely battled through and took her GCSE exams at home while undergoing treatment.
Having thought the cancer was beaten and a few months into joining the sixth form, she was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and endured surgery to remove it, which led to another three months of painful recuperation.
Her last course of chemotherapy was six years ago and doctors described her tumour as a “sleeping tumour” – something she lives with daily.
“I still suffer some pain and effects of the treatment and nerve damage to my hands and feet. With all of the treatment I have undergone and the setbacks, I went through a stage of depression and suffered from anxiety, worried that I would never get a good career and that my future looked bleak.
“But since launching my new business it has given me a goal to aim for in life, a focus in which I can channel my energy and enthusiasm into,” she explained.
She was recently the subject of a BBC3 TV documentary as part of the ‘Born Survivors’ series, in which she made a short documentary film about her battle with cancer.
Jessica launched her business after organising a birthday party for her younger sister and friends.
“After seeing how successful the party was for my younger sister, I realised that there was a gap in the market to provide mobile hair and beauty parties offering hair, make-up, nails and beauty pampering in peoples’ homes.
“The parties take on different themes, from ‘Princess’ to ‘Rock Chick’ and are aimed at young girls from the age of five to 16.
“Once the entire party of girls have been given their hair, beauty and make-overs, the party is concluded with a group photo for the birthday party girl and each girl receives a goody bag with the birthday girl also getting a personalised gift as well,” she said. Jessica can be contacted on 07875 712 490.