A Co Down woman who was told she had little chance of pregnancy after cancer treatment, recently welcomed a new baby daughter.
Leanne Molloy, who works as a pharmacist in Castlewellan, was in her mid-30s when she found that she was having difficulties swallowing food. She was then given the devastating diagnosis of oesophageal cancer and told that there would be little chance of pregnancy after the treatment. She had no time to freeze eggs.
After “a hell” of an emotional roller coaster with tests, scans, chemotherapy cycles and a difficult surgery in between, Leanne found out she was pregnant with her second child. Last month marked two years since Leanne’s cancer operation.
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In April, she gave birth to her second daughter - little Nova, who is doing brilliantly, according to the doctors. Leanne has been one of some 400 patients that are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer every year in Northern Ireland.
This type of cancer is found anywhere in the oesophagus that connects the mouth to the stomach. Its severity depends on location, size, patient’s overall health and whether it has spread already. Speaking about her adamant fight, Leanne says every cancer journey is difficult.
Her journey started on her elder daughter’s small birthday party in November 2019, when she ate a few chips and felt something getting caught in her throat. This started happening on a regular basis.
Leanne said: "There were things that I could eat with no difficulty, but other things would stick. I learnt to jiggle my hands up and got my husband to look after our daughter so I could go out of the room and jiggle.
"Over time, after visiting the GP and doing some tests, the GP arranged for me to go to the hospital for an endoscopy test. When they told me they’d found something, I was so relieved cos I knew there was something.
"The consultant said they’d found something at the bottom of my oesophagus. I said ‘cancer’? I just came out with it. The consultant said, ‘Yes, it’s looking very much like it’. I was just numb."
A whirlwind of tests, scans and waiting for results followed. After the four cycles of chemotherapy, the size of the tumour was reduced and it was possible for Leanne to have the surgery, followed by another four cycles of chemotherapy.
“My husband, Brian, took time off work and my mum took ten months off. Our daughter has been home the whole time and the school worked with me to help her,” Leanne added.
She can now eat well, though with small portions and often and said things can still be difficult emotionally sometimes, “with good days and bad days,” but she is kept busy with the children. With her firsthand experience, Leanne believes that the new mobile unit campaign aiming to raise awareness of oesophageal and stomach cancer is a “brilliant” endeavour.
The campaign, launched by Northern Ireland charity OG Cancer NI, will see their branded vehicle making many journeys across the nation, to both urban and hard to reach areas. The campaign’s goal is to improve the prognosis of oesophageal and stomach cancer patients in Northern Ireland, by encouraging people to notice the symptoms and seek advice from their GP at the earliest possible time before the cancer starts spreading.
According to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, only 10.4% of upper gastrointestinal cancer patients are diagnosed at the earliest stage. The five-year survival rate for those diagnosed at the earliest stage is 68%, compared to just two per cent for those diagnosed at stage four.
“I personally know how important it is that this type of cancer is caught early,” said Stewart Dickson MLA, himself a survivor of oesophageal cancer.
“Symptoms of oesophageal and stomach cancer include persistent heartburn or acid reflux that doesn’t go away, trouble swallowing, sudden weight loss, regurgitation or hiccups that do not go away,” he said.
Working in Castlewellan town’s pharmacy has convinced Leanne Molloy that along with the healthcare charities and the government, pharmacists and their teams have an important role to play in the timely diagnostics of cancer cases.
She explained: “We all notice people coming in and buying reflux and heartburn remedies on a regular basis, so it may be an idea for pharmacists advising someone who repeat buys to ensure they have a diagnosis from their GP rather than self-medicating and ignoring symptoms.
"If you have symptoms, get it checked out, don’t keep taking tablets if it's persistent hiccups or burping. Go and see your doctor. That's what the doctors are there for."
OG Cancer’s mobile unit has been funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and further supported by Ford.
More information about the OG Cancer Mobile Unit is available on the website.
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