Nurse with cancer sees 'lifeline' car stolen

A nurse recovering from cancer treatment said she had lost her "lifeline" after thieves broke into her house and stole her car while she was in hospital.

Beka Naylor was being treated at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield because her organs had degenerated, leaving her unable to eat without a feeding tube.

The 29-year-old from Doncaster said the theft of her car on 11 February had left her housebound and uncertain about whether she would be able to return to work.

She said: "They must've known how much of a lifeline it was, because my disability badge and some of my equipment was in there, even my stepdaughter's colouring books."

Beka was first diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when she was three years old, and has since been treated for cancer in her bladder, bowel and ovaries - requiring four rounds of chemotherapy and 80 different surgeries.

After spending six weeks in hospital and relying on family and friends, she said she had been looking forward to regaining her independence, but that would no longer be possible.

She said: "Not only am I stressing about my health and what my future holds, I'm now having to stress about transportation and how I'm going to come up with the money to buy a new car."

She believed the culprits had entered the house while a family friend was in the shower, and was "worried" by the idea of someone breaking in again while she was vulnerable.

Beka's childhood friend, Jody Lawton, has set up a fundraiser for her, already raising almost £2,000.

Beka said: "I've got absolutely amazing friends and I wouldn't have been able to even get through this past month without them."

A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "We were called just after 23.30 GMT on 11 February to reports of a burglary at Parkgate Avenue in Conisbrough.

"It is reported that earlier the same day at 5.57pm a black Land Rover Discovery was stolen from the driveway of a property."

Anyone with information is urged to contact the force.

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