A beloved Scots mum has tragically died from a rare cancer that even some of the nurses treating her had never heard of before. Lesley Turner, who was originally from Stranraer but lived in Sheffield, passed away in July last year of angiosarcoma.
The 40-year-old was first diagnosed with the cancer, which develops in the inner lining of blood vessels and lymph vessels, in 2021 after finding a lump in her breast. Lesley and her husband Rob, who she met in Glasgow, were then given the heartbreaking news that her condition was incurable.
Over the next two years, she made various trips to Northern General and Weston Park hospitals in Sheffield - and some of the medical staff involved her treatment had never heard of the disease. Speaking to Yorkshire Live, Rob said the couple "knew pretty quickly that it was serious" - but that Lesley's response to the situation was to smile and say "I'm still here".
Determined to enjoy what time she left with her family, the mum-of-one asked doctors not to tell her how long she had left to live.
Rob, 41, said: "She had chemotherapy for about four months but she always had a smile on her face and said 'if you don't laugh, you'll cry' - so we tried to just get on with it."
Lesley spent the final five days of her life at St Luke's Hospice in Sheffield, where she made Rob 'promise' that if he did any fundraising, the money would go to the palliative care centre.
Praising the hospice, Rob said: "They took really good care - not only of Lesley but all the visitors including me. They gave me a bed and fed and watered me - they took really good care of everybody."
The couple, who had eight-year-old son Liam together, first met in Glasgow back in 2007 when Rob was fitting out an Iceland store that Lesley was manager of. They instantly fell for each other, with Rob leaving her a Easter egg with a note attached before heading back home to Sheffield.
Over the next year, the pair would regularly visit each other before eventually deciding to make their relationship official. Rob offered to move to Glasgow, but Lesley said he "wouldn't last five minutes" so she relocated to Sheffield.
They bought their first house together and celebrated their wedding on June 14, 2014 at Stannington Church. Describing his late wife, Rob said: "She was kind. She only found the fun side of things - she was just fun and brilliant to be around.
"She was genuine person, not fake. And she always let you know how she felt."
He added that Lesley's death has been "tough" for their son Liam, who especially struggled being around the Mother's Day card making at school. However, Rob says that "he has lots of friends at school helping him and a loving family around him" to help him through his grief.
Making good on his promise to Lesley, Rob has now raised nearly £4,500 for St Luke's Hospice with a GoFundMe campaign, smashing his original goal of £3,500. He has also organised a golf tournament at Hillsborough Golf Club in the city on May 12, and is hoping the event will raise £10,000 for the charity.
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