A young mum battling terminal cancer says her last wish is to marry fiance. Natalie Howell, 32, has terminal bowel cancer and and is determined to tie the knot with her family and friends present.
The 32-year-old was diagnosed with with stage three cancer last year having sought treatment for stomach pains and toilet problems. She underwent several tests and scans which led to her being diagnosed with bowel cancer.
The young mum then went on a course of chemotherapy treatment and after finishing her first course she went back for further tests. She was then given tragic news on the effectiveness of the bowel cancer treatment, reports Essex Live.
Natalie said: "Initially I was thinking, 'brilliant, the cancer has gone'. We were all really happy.
"But then they told me my cancer was terminal. I was with my dad when I was told.
"I just froze. I could not speak or move.
"The first words I said were 'my kids'. They were the only thing going through my mind.
"My brain just went into overdrive. All I could think about was what would happen to my kids.
"I was just worried about everyone else. For someone who suffers really badly with anxiety naturally, going through all of this has not been as bad.
"My anxiety has been high, but I have shocked myself in how I have handled it."
Now, the mother is focused on getting married next year to her partner, Lee, after seven and a half years together. Natalie says the marriage date came a lot sooner than expected due to the diagnosis.
She said: "We had conversations about getting married but we were in no rush to do so. We would think we didn't need to rush as we thought we had plenty of time.
"We've been together for seven-and-a-half years. We just thought we'd have time.
"Now we're limited for the time we have left. I don't know how much time that is.
"I don't want to know. They could give me a timeframe, but at the end of the day no-one knows what will really happen.
"It all depends on how I react to my treatment. That's a difficult thing for me to cope with because I like being in control.
"Planning for my wedding has put some control back in my life. It gives me something to focus on which has been needed. We're taking every day as it comes."
The couple are currently only relying on one income meaning they are short of funds for their proposed February 2023 wedding. However, thanks to a fundraiser organised by the mother's sister, Maxie, and generous donations from the local community in Essex, the special day will go ahead.
Maxie said: "We've really struggled as a family. Until you are in that position yourself, you will never know how you will react. It's been really tough watching Natalie have to tell her children and me tell my own.
"It's something you will never come to terms with - you just have to cope with it. I'm so proud of Nat"
"I would never be able to handle it the way that she is. I would never have the strength to do the things she does.
"She's brilliant and I love her so much. I'm her big sister. It was a sisterly instinct [to set-up the fundraiser] as I'm meant to be there to love and protect her.
"I don't have the best financial situation myself, but I just want to make this big day special for her."
Alongside, planning her big day Natalie is keen to also campaign around lowering the screening age for bowel cancer, to give people a chance to catch the disease sooner. She said: "I have spoken to so many people who are around my age or younger than me who had bowel cancer.
"It spread because the doctors didn’t believe we could possibly have bowel cancer. They weren’t doing the right tests or scans to check.
"The age to receive those screenings is so high. It should definitely be lowered. It happens to young people and it happens a lot."
Dr Lisa Wilde, Bowel Cancer UK's Director of Research and External Affairs previously said: "Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and bowel cancer can affect people of all ages. Every year more than 2,600 people under 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK and that number is increasing.
"Despite this, awareness that this is a disease that younger people can be diagnosed with is low amongst the general public and healthcare professionals.
"That’s why we launched our Never Too Young campaign in 2013 after we increasingly heard from younger bowel cancer patients that they were being diagnosed late, having been told they were too young to have the disease. The understanding of bowel cancer in the under 50s is also a key part of our research strategy.
"We want to know and understand why the numbers are increasing and how we can diagnose younger people more quickly to hopefully save lives."
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