Moodiesburn cancer survivor tells of horror ordeal

She beat cancer, sepsis and a whole host of other complications and lived to tell the tale.

Yet, the life she knew is gone.

The 41-year-old is currently waiting to have a life-changing operation which will involve an entire hysterectomy, as well as the removal of her bladder, bowel and part of the colon.

Typically, the operation isn’t offered to those without active cancer in their bodies, yet Donna’s case was so severe, doctors agreed it was the only way to keep the disease away.

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After only just being released from hospital two weeks ago following an almost two-month battle with sepsis as a side effect of her illness, Donna hopes the surgery will mark the beginning of her recovery from her horrific three-year ordeal.

Donna, from Moodiesburn, said: “I’ve beat the cancer but it’s just been delay after delay and now, because of all the damage from the radiation, I’m waiting for a major pelvic operation.

“I met with the surgeon in March last year so, it’s another delay and it’s left me with infections and I’ve had to have a stoma fitted.

“It’s quite extreme and it is scary but I feel like it’s my only chance to get back to a sort of normal life.”

Donna first began experiencing symptoms, such as excessive bleeding in between her period, in 2019.

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She met with her GP who carried out blood tests and, despite a high white blood count, no further investigation was undertaken.

It took nine months before Donna was finally referred for a smear test and, from there, she was told she would need a biopsy within two weeks.

Unfortunately, she was rushed into A&E just a week later.

There, doctors agreed to perform an examination and decided she couldn’t wait any longer for a biopsy which was carried out there and then as Donna sat in agony.

“When it was finished, I asked the doctor what she thought it was,” Donna said.

“She said ‘what do you think it is?’ and I said ‘I think it’s cancer’.

“She said ‘well, you’re right’. That’s how I found out.”

The country was in a national lockdown and Donna was left to undergo her treatment alone.

She was forced to make the difficult decision to freeze her eggs, only to discover the option wasn’t available to her via the NHS as her long road to diagnosis meant she was over the age limit.

Donna and her partner opted to carry out the process privately, before being told her cancer was stage four and she couldn’t wait any longer for treatment – ending her hopes of becoming a mother.

Meanwhile, Donna is also hoping to qualify as a paramedic but anxiously waits to find out if she’ll be able to take on the role given that she’ll be required to live with a stoma full-time after her surgery.

“I just take it one day at a time, I’ve come this far,” she added.

“I’m hoping I’ll still be able to become a paramedic and hopefully I can fulfil my dream of going into the air ambulance but I still don’t know if they’ll let me. I’m really, really hopeful.”

Sadly, Donna had missed her routine cervical screening appointment prior to her diagnosis and she’s thrown her support behind our campaign, Don’t Fear the Smear, in a bid to ensure other women don’t face the same struggles.

“I was just busy, and I kick myself for it now,” she said.

“My advice would be get your smears; push, push, push for further tests if you think you need them; and listen to your body.”