A CHARITY rugby match will take place in Rosyth on Saturday for a mum-of-three who is dying of cancer. 

At just 29, Kayleigh Rendall was given the devastating news that she had just 18 months to live. 

Heartbroken partner Andrew Dick is a member of Fife Southern Rugby Club and they’re staging a fund-raiser for the Victoria Hospice, where she’s being treated. 

He told the Press: “By January we found out the cancer was terminal and she had 18 months to live. It’s not something you would think you would have to contemplate in your 20s. 

“You’re normally thinking about cars and buying a house. But it changes your outlook on life and you realise what’s important.”

Andrew continued: “I tend to not think about what’s happening too much because you’ve got jobs to do and if you start to think about it ... it would probably be bad. 

“As time goes on though I start to think about how am I going to tell the kids. For a while I thought ‘why us?’ but we’re no different to anyone else.”

Just over a year ago Kayleigh, from Lochgelly, went to the GP concerned about irregular bleeding, but it wasn’t until five months later that she was referred to a specialist. 

Andrew said: “She was diagnosed with cervical cancer but that has now become lymphatic so it could spread anywhere. Currently it’s in her lungs and she has a tumour on her lip. She first went to the GP in December 2015 because she’d had two weeks of bleeding.  

“Kayleigh pretty much went every week for five months after that and was eventually given an appointment to see a gynaecologist in May 2016. A couple of days before the appointment she collapsed. The whole of that period she had been feeling unwell, she was tired and lethargic which are all signs of cervical cancer.”

Kayleigh collapsed because of a low blood count, and with only four pints of blood in her system her organs had started to shut down. On May 25, 2016, she was told she had a tumour the size of an orange on her cervix. 

Andrew continued: “Chemo made Kayleigh really ill at first but after all the treatment things seemed to be going well, we were told that the tumour was shrinking. We were then told to wait for 12 weeks but the tumour had not shrunk as much as they hoped.” 

They were then given the devastating news that the cancer was terminal. Andrew gave up his job in construction to look after his daughter Bethanny, 4, son Ollie, 2, and step-son Hayden, 11. 

He added: “Kayleigh is going to continue with chemo and keep going as long as she can but also balancing that there needs to be a quality of life with the kids. 

“Hayden understands what’s going on but he’s coping with it well, he’s mature for his age. He comes to rugby training with me and I think it takes his mind off things. 

“Bethany is a little bit aware that her mum’s not well and she found it weird when Kayleigh’s head was shaved, but for Ollie nothing phases him.”

The charity match starts at 3pm at Harley Street on Saturday and organiser Mark Craigie said:  “This is our chance to show the support and love we all have not only to this amazing  family who are going through a journey nobody should have to through, but it’s also appreciation to all the hard work being done on a daily basis at the hospice and the care they give to all who need it.”

The Fife team will play in an 80s themed kit against Caledonian Thebans RFC. They hope to raise over £4,000.    

Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/119127638628515/ for information.