'I was told cancer hadn't spread - then I found I had stage 4 at 35 weeks pregnant'

Kelly Heather, 38, from Gravesend, Kent, who claims she was refused further scans portion successful remission from cancer, had a seizure erstwhile 35 weeks large and tests showed she had a encephalon tumour

A mum claims she "begged" for much scans aft being told her cancer had not dispersed but portion 35 weeks large she was told she had a signifier 4 tumour.

Kelly Heather, 38, was told by doctors she was successful remission from crab past April - aft archetypal being diagnosed backmost successful 2017. Two weeks later, she discovered she was pregnant - successful what she describes arsenic a affirmative infinitesimal aft a challenging fewer years.

However, connected December 2, portion 35 weeks pregnant, Kelly had a seizure - starring to a encephalon tumour diagnosis. This came aft Kelly was refused further scans aft being fixed the "all-clear" - arsenic her crab was deemed signifier 0 (non-spreadable).

The mum-of-four, from Gravesend, Kent, is present pushing for much investigating "regardless of what signifier [of cancer] a idiosyncratic is at" - truthful that nary different families person to endure done what she has. Kelly said: "I was told truthful galore times I was crab escaped - oregon that my crab wasn't going to spread.

"I tried to propulsion for much scans but I was told no. I privation I had been that annoying diligent who kept going. Now I'm successful a presumption wherever I'm disquieted astir leaving my kids without a mum. And we're having to person truly hard conversations astir the future.

"I conscionable ne'er thought I'd beryllium here. So we person to propulsion for these scans. If I tin assistance 1 idiosyncratic get diagnosed earlier - that would beryllium worthy it." Kelly archetypal visited the GP successful 2017 aft noticing an antithetic enactment connected her fingernail. Initially, she was told determination were "no crab cells showing" but was monitored each 3 months.

Over that play the enactment got darker and thicker - and she was diagnosed with melanoma. Kelly had her nail furniture removed astatine Queen Victoria Hospital successful East Grinstead and was told the country had gone good with nary crab near behind. But wrong six months, thing which looked similar a verruca appeared astatine the extremity of the digit - signalling that the crab had returned.

When she was told she mightiness request to person her digit partially amputated, she said to the doctor: "Whatever you request conscionable instrumentality it. I'd alternatively that than it dispersed anyplace else." In March 2020, Kelly's fingertip was yet removed and she was fixed the "all-clear".

She pushed for a further scan to guarantee nary cells were near behind, but arsenic Queen Victoria Hospital had categorised her crab arsenic signifier 0 (non-spreadable), which was refused. However, successful August 2022, Kelly discovered a lump successful her armpit. The crab had returned and dispersed to her lymphatic system.

The mum underwent a large country successful which 20 lymph nodes were removed. She was told lone 1 of them had metastatic malignant melanoma - a benignant of tegument crab which has dispersed to a antithetic portion of the body. By October 2023, pursuing a twelvemonth of immunotherapy astatine Maidstone Hospital, Kelly's scans were coming backmost wide again.

She was told she did not necessitate a 2nd twelvemonth of immunotherapy and was classed arsenic successful remission successful April 2024 - conscionable 2 weeks earlier she recovered retired she was pregnant. But astatine 35 weeks pregnant, Kelly recovered she could not assistance her near limb properly. She said: "My limb started flicking retired and shaking uncontrollably, and wrong not adjacent a minute, I was having a afloat seizure successful the kitchen.

"I honestly thought I had died. I thought I was dying and each I could deliberation was my kids person mislaid their mum and my babe is going to die. It's 1 of the astir traumatic things I've ever gone through. I'll ne'er hide that day." Kelly was diagnosed with a encephalon tumour which was aboriginal confirmed arsenic signifier 4 melanoma encephalon cancer.

She gave commencement to her 4th kid Te-Jay via c-section connected December 9, and little than 10 days later, underwent encephalon country to region the tumour. She said: "They removed astir of the tumour, but they couldn't region each of it without causing imperishable paralysis to my near side.

"So, a tiny portion was near behind, which is wherefore I person to person the targeted radiotherapy to termination the remaining tumour near successful the brain." With a newborn to look after, Kelly is starting a caller attraction which includes 2 abstracted immunotherapy drugs. She said: "It is the lone attraction that is available. There's a 50 per cent accidental it volition enactment for me.

"It's precise overmuch deed and miss truthful it's rather scary. I don't deliberation I've afloat accepted that I person terminal cancer. Really, I should person continued to person the 2nd twelvemonth of attraction and that would person astir apt kept it astatine bay. But now, with it being metastatic, it's already dispersed from my encephalon done my lymph system, and I'm waiting for wherever it's going to amusement up next."

Kelly has been told there's a 25 per cent accidental the crab could person dispersed to her babe via the placenta. Tests person travel backmost wide truthful acold but Te-Jay is being regularly monitored astatine Guy's Hospital.

Kelly added: "It's conscionable different worry. No mum would ever privation to deliberation that they've perchance dispersed a crab to their baby." Despite her diagnosis, Kelly is determined to "stay positive" for her spouse Tom Woodcock, and 4 children Preston, 17, Brendan, 15, Rhea, 7, and Te-Jay.

She besides wants to talk retired astir further investigating - arsenic she believes her present signifier 4 crab whitethorn person been detected earlier if she had been granted different scan contempt her crab being classed arsenic signifier 0. Kelly said: "I americium pushing for further investigating to beryllium fixed careless of what signifier you are at.

"Melanoma is the astir assertive signifier of tegument crab and it doesn't travel rules of what each the different cancers follow. They wouldn't springiness maine that other bid of caput by having those further scans, and I deliberation [the cancer] would person been picked up a batch earlier, earlier it went into my lymph system, which is wherever it dispersed rather quickly.

"I bash wonderment what would person happened if I got that 1 scan I begged for. I consciousness things could person been dealt with otherwise and I mightiness beryllium successful a antithetic presumption to what I americium now." A GoFundMe page has been acceptable up to assistance Kelly and her family.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: "Ensuring patients person the close personalised crab attraction arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable is our priority. While we are incapable to remark connected idiosyncratic cases, we promote immoderate diligent who whitethorn person a question oregon interest to talk to the objective teams providing their attraction oregon our Patient Advice and Liaison Service." Queen Victoria Hospital has been contacted for a comment.