Mum recalls 'sobbing in front of the world' as record 3.4m Brits now living with cancer
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A record 3.4 million people are now living with cancer in Britain. Our aging population now has half a million more people living with the disease than five years ago. Support charity Macmillan says the experience of living with cancer is getting worse for many people, amid NHS delays and a postcode lottery for decent care. The total includes 1.9 million women and 1.5 million men, with breast cancer being the most common.
Ameena Westwood, 53, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and after undergoing a mastectomy and radiotherapy treatment, she was given the all-clear. But then last March she received the devastating news that her cancer had returned and she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
The mother-of-four from Smethwick, near Birmingham, said: “I started getting a bad cough and shortness of breath when I walked up the stairs. I knew these could be signs of a cancer recurrence, but I was given antibiotics and told not to worry. I went back to my GP three times before I was finally sent to hospital for an X-ray. It turned out that my lung had collapsed, and I spent 17 hours in A&E.
“To get this diagnosis again was so frustrating. It’s only because I felt empowered and I knew the signs and symptoms that I was able to express my concerns clearly, and it turned out that I was right. I remember sobbing in front of the world and feeling really let down by my GP.” She added: “The cancer has now spread to my spine, pelvis, ribs and sternum. I’m currently having targeted cancer treatment every day in the form of tablets, and I’m determined to help other people advocate for the care they need.”.
