My Story

It is my 60th birthday this year & I wanted to do something for my friends who supported me through my hard challenge’s past & present.

Some of these friends are presently going through family challenges with cancer.

My health has been up & down over the past few years & though now my health journey is different, my current situation is still a huge one daily.

I first had cancer when I was 38 years old (a wife & working mother, with four young children three boys & one girl).

I was only having a shower getting ready to go to work & was stopped in my tracks by a sharp pain in my back & leg – I struggled even sitting down. My husband was at work so my parents took me to my doctors, I was examined then told to go to hospital as I might have a slipped spinal disc (I did not want to go, so the doctor prescribed me some pain relief & said they would check on me later to see how I was getting on).

The pain relief did not work, so then the doctor said that it could be serious, so I was advised once more to go to hospital to get checked.

I was given an MRI scan at hospital that showed that I had a large shadow at the base of my spine – I was then rushed to another hospital to have emergency surgery.

I was diagnosed with a rare spinal cord tumour called an ‘Ependymoma’ usually only found in the brains of young children (this was only the start of my journey). Over the next few years, I had to learn to walk again.

Next, I was unfortunately to be hit with my next health issue after a routine MRI scan, I had a bleed on the brain followed by a brain tumour.

My mobility was never the same but eventually with time & patience I was allowed to drive again & do more physical activities.

In December 2018, I was able to walk holding a walking stick to go to my eldest son wedding.

When I thought that was it, in early January 2019 - I had 3x Strokes, one after another including a few falls, but another year went by & with help I managed to start walking with a frame.

You would never believe my luck, again unexpectedly I collapsed & was told this time it was caused by a Stroke, I had two of these followed by over 10x TIA’s (mini strokes) on top of this I was also left with uncontrollable movement in my left side of my body. (Now I am unable to do all the things others take for granted, I rely on others for everything including everyday chores, washing, walking etc).

The doctors at the hospital were trying to find a reason that caused my Strokes, Seizures etc... they eventually found that I have a rare blood condition called ‘Hughes Syndrome’ also known as “sticky blood syndrome” or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), is an autoimmune condition that affects the way that your blood cells bind together, or clot. Hughes syndrome is considered rare. This condition cannot be cured but is controlled by regular blood checks & blood thinners.

All of my health conditions are rare & are not contacted to my genes or my lifestyle, I have just been unlucky. At the start, I was only 8 stone & going to the gym most days but after been on steroids for healing & no exercise after my cancer (I could not lose any extra weight that I put on, not even with diet).

As I am at risk of falling, my GP has said that I can only do the ‘Race for Life’ if I have my husband (my carer) & two others to support me. So 4x team maria was formed including me, my husband, my youngest son & son in-law

So, the plan is for me to walk for a short while holding on to my manual wheelchair with my team around me, then my team taking in turn pushing me in my wheelchair part way if I get tired.

I have chosen not to name my friends that I am doing this challenge for because they are going through enough without people bombarding them (but importantly they know who they are). Though below I have given you a brief

I am doing this challenge for (a female friend early 60’s with a progressive cancer that has spread to other organs in her body, her granddaughter aged 8 years has leukaemia, a female friends daughter in early 30’s with a young child has a progressive brain tumour also a female friend battling breast cancer).

In respect to others we have all lost or going through their present/everyday fights from any form of Cancer & all other health conditions, I also do this for you.

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