A Scots gran who thought she was suffering the after effects of covid has been left devastated after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Karen Campbell, 60, from Glenrothes, had been suffering from headaches and fatigue since catching the virus in July 2021, but after visits to the GP and a clear brain scan at Victoria Hospital in Fife in January this year, she was diagnosed with long covid.
Karen's family were relieved by the diagnosis, but when an ongoing started to get worse in March, she returned to her GP knowing something was wrong with her body.
Further tests were carried out and Karen discovered in June she had protein in her blood and her family began to realise her symptoms were more serious than they first thought.
Karen then had a CT scan and an endoscopy for further investigation in August, before she flew out to Spain to celebrate her 60th birthday.
Sadly, she was forced to cut her holiday short when she received shock results from the hospital. On September 3, Karen was given the heartbreaking news by video call that she has stage four cancer in her lower stomach and lymph nodes and only has months to live.
Speaking to the Record, Karen's daughter Kelly ,37, told how her family found the news difficult to take after her mum had only been managing her pain with paracetamol.
She said: "It is just so hard to take in what the doctors are saying to us when all she was taking was paracetamol. You would never think to look at her that she could only have months to live.
"She is a wee bit tired, but it is hitting her the hardest mentally - and we just want to give her some hope."
Now, Kelly, alongside Karen's other children her children Emma, 42, Debbie, 38, and Bobby, 29, believe an operation abroad could help their mum after researching privately treatment in Turkey or Germany.
However, the cost of the treatment will run into the tens of thousands and the family have started fundraising.
Kelly added: "We made an online fundraising page a few days ago and the reaction made me so happy, to just be able to think people are going to give us a wee bit of help and we can offer my mum a bit of positivity.
"My sister has spoken to a man who almost had identical circumstances to my mum and he survived after an operation in Turkey.
"We can't just give up. My mum is my everything, my best friend, and I can’t just accept that.
"We are putting all of our energy into trying to raise the cash to fund this operation and to at least give mum a chance. We won't stop fighting for her."
To donate to Karen's fundraiser visit here.
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