A Glasgow paramedic who passed away from cancer at the age of just 24 was able to marry the love of her life before her death.
Meadhbh Cameron, who worked out of the Scottish Ambulance Service's Clydebank Station, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer last year. After receiving chemotherapy, doctors informed her two days before Christmas she had six to eight weeks to live. She passed away on March 11.
But before then, Meadhbh was able to marry partner Lee Cameron, 27, at a ceremony in Oran Mór, Glasgow, thanks to the support of the Beatson Cancer Charity. They were married by Kenny Gray, a Healthcare Support Worker who worked in Meadhbh's ward in the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
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Speaking of Meadhbh’s brave battle, Lee said he received an early morning phone call from Meadhbh, who was working at the time, last September.
He explained: “She told me she had coughed up a blood clot while in hospital with a patient and that an X-ray had revealed a shadow in her left lung. This was totally out of the blue, as she had no other symptoms, other than an intermittent cough at night.”
Four weeks later, Meadhbh was told she had stage 4 combined small cell lung cancer, an extremely aggressive and rare form of cancer, not typically seen in a young, non-smoker in good health.
Meadhbh's cancer had spread to her bones and lymph nodes, with Lee adding: “The specialists advised us that Meadhbh's type of cancer was incurable, however it tended to respond well to chemotherapy. They informed us that with chemo Meadhbh would likely have a year to live if not more due to her age and health.”
Meadhbh received three rounds of chemotherapy, but was hospitalised each time with neutropenia, a condition which results in a low number of white blood cells called neutrophils in your blood.
Lee explained: “On the third time she was hospitalised, we were informed that Meadhbh's treatment wasn't working and that the cancer in her spine was compressing her spinal cord. We were told that she had six to eight weeks to live. This news came to us on the 23rd December 2022.”
Meadhbh passed away the day after Lee’s 27th birthday.
Lee added: “Despite the high levels of sedation she was under, Meadhbh still managed to wake up and hum 'happy birthday' to me. This was a true testament to Meadhbh's strength and character.
“In the end cancer robbed Meadhbh of everything but her compassion, humour and mental strength. Meadhbh was an incredibly caring and compassionate soul who had an outstanding passion for life. Her smile could brighten even the darkest of days and she was the life and soul of the party. Those traits are what made her an exceptional paramedic, a job that she absolutely loved. It gives me great honour in being able to call her my wife.”
Lee, who lives in Glasgow and works as a police officer, is now raising money for the Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Team of the Beatson Cancer Charity, which provides wellbeing services to cancer patients and their families across the West of Scotland. He is running in the Loch Ness Marathon in October.
He said: “The support they provided to my wife and I was second to none. Especially with Meadhbh's prognosis, which unfortunately involved spending her last Christmas in hospital. The Teenage and Young Adult team arranged for Meadhbh to get a private room so I could stay with her and also provided festive food along with a host of other things, including psychological support.
“They even helped Meadhbh and I bring forward our wedding so we could still have our big day, which is something I am incredibly grateful for. Before passing, she had a bucket list of things she wanted to do and at the top was run a marathon.”
Lee said all proceeds will go towards the charity. For more information visit Lee Cameron is fundraising for Beatson Cancer Charity (justgiving.com) or visit My Light (beatsoncancercharity.org).
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