A 50 year old Norwich florist has told of the earth shattering moment when she was told she had inoperable ovarian cancer.
A 50 year old Norwich florist has told of the earth shattering moment when she was told she had inoperable ovarian cancer.
Angela Ward had battled – and thought she had beaten – bowel cancer, passing the five year mark but when she went to the doctor with a numb thigh, was eventually diagnosed four months later with ovarian cancer.
Doctors have given her from six months to two years to live.
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Since then, she's coped with two lots of chemotherapy which made her really ill and her hair fell out and recently suffered another setback when she had a blood clot in the leg which may have scuppered her chances to fly abroad for specialist treatment.
'I couldn't work out why my thigh was numb,' said Angela, who used to work in merchandising. 'Nurses said you can often damage the nerves but it was uncomfortable.'
In fact Angela had tumours on her pelvic bone and was given the horrendous news that the new stage 4 cancer was 'inoperable.'
She said: 'It's a fast turnover at the hospital, I had a 10 minute slot and you are just left to make decisions and it all comes down to what funding is available.
'The worst thing is trying to cope with the fear and your mindset which is very dark. So, I have read a lot of inspiring stories, you need to feed yourself with the positive belief that you can do it.
'I'm not ready to give up yet. I feel rough and very tired but I wake up and I am grateful for what I have got rather than think of what I am losing. There are many people who love me to bits.'
Those people include sister Claire Husband, also a florist, from Framingham Pigot who is organising a 'boutique'clothes sale to raise money for Angela who is unable to work, but needs at least £5,000 to explore the option of specialist targeted radiotherapy in Germany as well as many holistic therapies. Because the chemotherapy made her so ill, Angela has decided not to have any more.
She awaits the results of a scan to see if the treatment in Germany is an option and indeed if she is well enough to make the journey.
In the meantime, Claire and Angela's friends are organising the two day sale from 10am-8pm at the Georgian Townhouse in Norwich on April 24 and 25 of donated clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories, mostly with designer labels including Prada, Ted Baker and other brands like French Connection. 'It's a way of recycling and raising funds,' said Claire. If you would like to donate quality items, please contact Claire on 07876 373193 or email claire.husband66@gmail.com
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