A BARRHEAD mother-of-two battling terminal cancer will continue making memories with her loved ones thanks to generous friends and relatives.

Lesley Graham was ‘blown away’ after a weekend of fundraising held on her behalf generated £10,000 and counting to help her fight against the disease.

The 39-year-old was told she had just four months left to live in late April when cancer spread from her breast to her brain, liver and ribs.

However, Lesley was not prepared to accept the devastating fate handed to her.

Instead, she led a relentless campaign which eventually granted her access to the £15,000-per-round Kadycla drug – the only form of treatment which could prolong her life by months, if not years.

Lesley is now awaiting the results of a scan following her sixth bout of the NHS-funded therapy.

The former childminder is praying for more good news after positive test results in August showed the tumour in her liver had shrunk by a third and the tumour in her brain had halved, while the cancer of the bone had calcified and stopped growing.

As she holds out hope for the future, Lesley is safe in the knowledge she has the full backing of her nearest and dearest.

Relatives, schoolfriends and ex-colleagues all rallied together to raise a five-figure sum to lessen any future financial strain she may experience further down the line.

Former classmates of Lesley’s from Neilston Primary and Eastwood High reunited to host a ceilidh at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow on September 16 which raised more than £2,000.

Daughter Charlotte, 14, was joined by her mum’s friends Karen Dove Campbell and Michelle Hamilton to take on the Pretty Muddy 5k Race for Life at Bellahouston Park the next day. The final sponsorship totals are still being counted.

The weekend concluded with an all-star ice hockey match involving her brothers Daryl and Ryan Findlay’s team the Paisley Buccaneers, Kilmarnock Piranhas, Irvine Flyers and Solway Ladies.

Though Lesley was presented with a cheque for £6,000, organisers reckon between £7,000 and £8,000 was raised on the day by a packed-out crowd at the Galleon Centre in Kilmarnock.

Neilston-born Lesley was taken aback by the support and said: “It was a fabulous weekend and I’m just totally blown away by it all. People are coming up with crazy ideas to raise money.

“There are more good people out there than bad people; these people are putting themselves out there for me.

“The ceilidh was such a laugh. There was a fantastic turnout.

“The support off of people is like walking into a big, comfy cuddle.

“These people genuinely care about you and I think in everyday life you don’t realise that, you just go about your day and that’s it.”

Lesley believes the recent fundraising weekend will prove beneficial for her entire family, most notably her husband Colin, 47, and daughters Charlotte and 12-year-old Rebekah.

“It’s great to be doing these things but I’d do anything not to find myself in this position and I think they’re the same,” she said.

“It’s been emotional, I think everybody’s had their moments.

“As a 14-year-old you don’t want to find yourself in this position but both the girls have got a good relationship. They’re both switched on and know what’s going on.

“I think for Charlotte it helps to alleviate things a little. The money is for making memories as it was always put in place for.

“I think it’s helpful for everyone and it makes people feel like: ‘Yes, I’m actually doing something to help this situation.’”

She added: “I’m not leaving any of this. I can do good because I’m not afraid to stand up and be counted.

“For me to see my family and be in their company, it’s worth it but it just puts a wee fire in my belly.

“I need to do everything physically possibly to survive this because I want to spend time with them.”

Friends of Lesley’s set up a fundraising page four months ago to support her and her family.

The GoFundMe account has so far raised more than £32,000 and is accessible at gofundme.com/makingmemories38