Karen’s diagnosis hit her hard. Diagnosed with stage 4 EGFR+ adenocarcinoma in January 2023, she didn’t think she’d see Christmas. But she did… and the one after that, and now she’s grabbing every opportunity that comes her way – including taking part in our Strictly Ballroom fundraiser.
“Having cancer has not hindered me in any way. In fact, my life has got better. I’ve had opportunities and doors open that would not have happened if I hadn’t gotten ill.
“But if you’d had said that to me at the beginning, there was no way I would have believed you.
“It all started in the January of ’23. Our fitness instructor was working us really hard, and I couldn’t catch my breath. I also had a pain in my right side which I presumed was a pulled muscle.
“At the time, my husband had a bad cough – despite having our flu and covid jabs. I told him to get it checked to which he replied, “You need to get yours sorted”.
“I was taken about because I didn’t think I had a cough worth bothering about. But then, after eating some toast one morning, it caught the back of my throat, and I coughed so bad I was sick.
“Thinking it was long covid, the nurse sent me for an x-ray. That was on a Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning the hospital rang and asked me to go for CT scan the following at 9 am. I had the scan and about 4 hours later, my doctor’s surgery rang to tell me I had a face-to-face appointment the next day.
The alarm bells couldn’t have rung any louder
“I was told I had cancer contained in the lining of my right lung and secondaries going up towards my shoulder. SECONDARIES! SECONDARIES?!
“I couldn’t understand how this was happening. I wasn’t ill in any way and was doing four classes a week at the gym, including kettlebells & circuit training.
“After undergoing all the different tests and biopsies, we were told it was only stage 1. It was such a relief. I just wanted to get on with treatment and get on with my life.
“But then at my consultant appointment, everything changed.
“On reflection, the consultant must have thought we were mad because we were laughing and joking. He turned to his computer and said, ‘something stage 4’. My daughter and I immediately corrected him. ‘No, that’s wrong,’ we said. ‘It’s only stage 1’ to which he replied, ‘I’m sorry, it’s stage 4 – terminal. It’s a spelling mistake.’
In that moment, I felt like my life was over.
“I didn’t think I’d see another Christmas so bought everyone’s presents early. I was so depressed, crying all the time although I made sure I didn’t cry in front of anyone because I said I wanted everything to be normal.
“But then Christmas came and went and I thought hang on, I’m still here and feel no different.
“In January 2024, I started my own cancer support group, which is going great and we’ve been raising money for different charities. We’ve had several coffee morning and last July, I climbed Snowden. And now, I’m taking part in Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation’s Strictly Ballroom, something that is so out of my comfort zone I genuinely don’t think I would have done it if I didn’t have cancer.
“My diagnosis made me realise life is short and we have to grab everything with both hands, so that’s what I’m going to do for as long as I can.
“I am living with cancer every day, doing everything I love with the people I love.
“SO DO ONE CANCER! I’M IN CHARGE, NOT YOU!”