Mum who 'begged' for help from doctors for 5 years told she has terminal cancer
A mum-of-two who "begged" doctors to investigate her symptoms for five years has now been told she has terminal cancer.
Rebecca Gibson, 36, from Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, has been told that the cancer has spread from her bowel to other parts of her body. She first started complaining of bleeding in 2018 and was later invited for a sigmoidoscopy, an examination of the lower bowel, but was allegedly told she had a small growth and it was nothing to be concerned about.
As the bleeding continued, the social worker decided to visit her GP again, who she claims told her that she may have piles and so as to be sure, Rebecca was referred for a colonoscopy, a fuller examination of the bowel in October 2022. When she began suffering tiredness, severe stomach pain and sulphur-smelling burps, Rebecca pleaded for the test to be brought forward.
But she didn't undergo the examination until January 2023 - and that's when doctors found a 10cm tumour. Rebecca was then diagnosed with stage 4 terminal bowel cancer and the disease had also spread to her liver.
"I was concerned and didn't feel supported by the GPs, but I just trusted if they weren't concerned then it must have been okay," the mum said. "However, by the autumn of 2022 I really knew something wasn't right. I kept flagging my symptoms and concerns and pushing for an urgent coloscopy. I'd been begging for years but not once had I been referred.
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She has now been diagnosed with terminal cancer (Rebecca Gibson)
She claims she was told originally there was nothing to worry about (Rebecca Gibson)"By the time of my colonoscopy I knew it was cancer. However, to be told that they had found a 10 cm tumour that had perforated my bowel and had spread was absolutely devastating. Despite everything nothing prepared me for that moment. I found it difficult to accept and immediately thought about how long I'd been having issues and whether the cancer could have been diagnosed earlier."
Following her diagnosis, Rebecca started chemotherapy, initially being told her cancer was inoperable. But due to her terrible stomach pains which caused vomiting, surgeons removed the tumour and her ovaries last summer.
Then further tests showed the cancer in her liver had grown and at the start of this year, she was also informed it had spread to her right lung. Having learned palliative chemotherapy wasn't helping, Rebecca's loved ones decided to set up an online Gofundme appeal to help pay for a private cancer drug not available on the NHS.
Rebecca pictured with her family (Rebecca Gibson)
Her cancer has spread to other parts of her body (Rebecca Gibson)Rebecca said any additional money needed to help fund the drug - Avastin - which costs between £5,000 to £6,000 a month, would be used to explore other treatment options abroad and make family memories. "Since my diagnosis every aspect of my life has changed," said Rebecca.
"I've lost my identity. My appearance is something which has massively impacted me. I'm constantly exhausted and spend most days lying on the couch as I'm in so much pain and physically can't get myself up. Before my diagnosis, I was active and enjoyed cycling, swimming, walking the dog. I had a successful job and a career plan and enjoyed family holidays, while Wayne has gone from being my partner to my carer.
"The support I've had from my family and friends has been amazing. I'm so grateful to them for everything they do but it's difficult not to think about the future and what it may hold. I'm trying to stay strong and meet my cancer head on, but I'm aware I'm running out of options. I'm looking into treatments that aren't available on the NHS as I want to do absolutely everything I can to be with my family for as long as I can."
Following her diagnosis, Rebecca, who is mum to two sons Kalem, 17, and Alfie Gibson, three, instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether more could have been done to diagnose her cancer sooner, reported the Manchester Evening News. She also wants to raise awareness of the devastating disease.
Shahin Master, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell said: "Rebecca's diagnosis has come as a devastating blow to her and her family. They're all struggling to come to terms with what it may mean for their future. Understandably Rebecca has serious concerns about her care, especially given the number of medical appointments she had in which she raised her concerns.
"While nothing can make up for what she and her loved ones are going through, we're determined to support them and provide Rebecca with the answers she deserves. While often associated with over 50s, bowel cancer can affect anyone of any age. However, the disease is treatable and curable if diagnosed early.
"Therefore, we join Rebecca is urging everyone to be aware of the signs of symptoms of bowel cancer. While Rebecca has concerns about what happened to her, it is vital people continue to seek medical help as soon as possible."
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