A woman's friend was "so shocked" with her weight loss she told her she needed to see a doctor.
Sue Bennett, from Bootle, said she had dropped several dress sizes but didn't think much of it at the time. It was only when Sue's friend came round to see her and was shocked at the now 68-year-old's appearance that she decided to speak to a doctor.
The mum said during this period of her life she was also suffering from occasional vomiting, bleeding gums and was bruising more easily but at the time "didn't link them together". Initially Sue was treated for gallstones and told she may also have a rare form of arthritis, but then a referral to a haematologist brought the life-changing diagnosis.
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After several tests Sue was told she had myeloma and amyloidosis in 2013. Myeloma is a type of blood cancer and Sue was told it was terminal. Sue said she thought she was going to die before she retired after hearing the devastating news.
She was referred to Aintree University Hospital for six cycles of chemotherapy, steroids, and targeted therapy, followed by a stem cell transplant at Royal Liverpool Hospital, the following year in 2014.
Sue said: "I’d gone down several dress sizes, and a friend who hadn’t seen me for a few weeks was so shocked that she told me I needed to go to the doctor. My symptoms weren’t obvious at all, but when I look back now, I was also vomiting sometimes, and my gums were bleeding, plus I was bruising fairly easily, but I didn’t link them together at the time.
“I could tell by the consultant’s face that it wasn’t good news. When he said there was no cure, I thought it was a death sentence. I didn’t hear the part where the nurse pointed out there was no cure for diabetes, either, but it was also a condition you could live with.
“When I went home after first being diagnosed, I felt lost, and I was just crying. Telling my son Craig, who was about 21 at the time was the worst. And my husband was working away so I didn’t tell him straight away, so it was a really tough time."
While myeloma is not usually curable, treatment can control it, and following chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, Sue has now been in remission for nearly nine years. The 68-year-old said she owes her life to progress in cancer research and hopes that sharing her story will inspire others to join her in the fight against the disease.
She added: “Research into better treatments has given me more precious time with my loved ones and the chance to meet some lovely new friends. When I finished my treatment, I went to New York with my husband Steve, who used to work overseas a lot. And we celebrated my 60th birthday in style with a limo and everything.
“In some ways I think that what I have been through has changed me for the better, I think I’m a nicer person now. The first thing I thought about when I was diagnosed, was church and I started going regularly, and now I have so many new friends. It was a challenging twist of fate, but I feel so lucky.
“I also spend a lot of time with my son Craig who is very protective of me, he rings me three times a day. However, none of this would be possible without the dedication of scientists who are always striving towards new milestones month after month. They need our support."
Sue said she is supporting charity Cancer Research UK, who need the public's support in fighting cancer.
The mum-of-one added: “I’m currently in remission now and pretty much living a normal life. I find living with the certainty that one day it will return very stressful but stories of hope like mine would not be possible at all without research. And by donating monthly to Cancer Research UK, people across Merseyside could help give hope to many more families like mine and save lives for generations to come.”
Through its research Cancer Research UK has been part of revolutionising stem cell transplants to make the process kinder for donors. This research helped increase the number of people willing to donate stem cells, keeping more patients, like Sue, alive.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North West, Jemma Humphreys, said: “One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, but all of us can help beat it. Thanks to supporters like Sue, we’ve been at the forefront of cancer research for over 120 years and we’re not stopping now.
“Regular giving is crucial to our work because it means we can fund long term research – research that could lead to new discoveries about cancer and unlock new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat it. So, we hope more people across Merseyside will donate monthly - if they can.
“We’re working towards a world where we can all live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. Beating the disease is a long game, but it’s one that – together - we will win.”
To find out more from Cancer Research UK, please click here.
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