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Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I got kicked in the testicles by a 6'5" bloke while playing football and it saved my LIFE
It's every bloke's worst nightmare, prompting a pain so sharp and an embarrassment so overwhelming that it can bring the toughest man to his knees. But for one miraculous cancer survivor, the dreadful experience of being kicked in the testicles saved his life, proving that even the darkest of clouds possess silver linings. Owen McNee fell victim to the toe-curling ordeal during a game of football with friends in Glasgow in 1989, eight months after he had married his wife Lindsay. The resulting lump led the then 26-year-old to visit his local GP, before being referred to hospital where tests eventually revealed testicular cancer. Having caught the illness early, an operation removing the offending testicle paired with ten weeks of chemotherapy meant the cancer was gone within a year. Now 62, Owen has set up a Gofundme in memory of his father-in-law, who died just months after being diagnosed with myeloma, and will embark on a lengthy cycle ride to raise money for Myeloma UK. Reflecting on his own battle with cancer, the retired chartered engineer admits he has his over-zealous pal to thank for a quick victory. He told MailOnline: 'I was [grateful he did it]. He was a big lad as well. David Williams was his name, six foot five. 'Big David...I kept telling him all about it after it. 'It wasn't the case where everybody was told to feel their nuts back then. 'It was only because I felt sore and felt a hard lump and the GP, he was bang on, he said, "stay in the hospital".' Has he ever told his mate he saved his life? 'I have. I actually went to watch them play football soon after and they were a man short, so I actually went onto the park, totally bald, with no hair on my body at all, to play football. 'And I was exhausted. It was quite funny because there were wee kids at the side of the park shouting, "baldy, baldy". 'I'm baldy now but back then I was a 28-year-old baldy. It was funny because it was back in Easterhouse where I grew up and all these boys were like me.' It's perhaps little surprise that, post cancer, Owen has been keen to get back onto the pitch whenever he can, given the remarkable boost the initial kickabout had on his life expectancy. That fateful day in 1989 did not have the hallmarks of a particularly unusual one for the footy fanatic as he gathered his stuff together for a typical fixture with his mates. But several moments of extremely good fortune later and it soon became a match the Scot would never forget. The first emerged the minute the group arrived, as they were forced into cancelling the planned game following a few drop-outs. This pushed them onto a smaller five-a-side pitch as an alternative, perhaps a factor behind the painful collision which cut his involvement in the match short. In agony, Owen visited the GP and then the hospital before being sent home with a clean bill of health. But just one week later, he checked himself in again after his back grew sore. A further round of tests revealed he had cancer. Owen had his testicle removed in a swift operation and was soon lying in the ward of a Victorian era hospital feeling rather sorry for himself. 'Being just married, we were obviously very upset,' he said. 'Until a typical Glaswegian breathing oxygen in the bed beside us started singing, "Owen, he's only got one ball, the other is in the surgeon's hall". 'This was through tears and everything else at this point.' Further encouragement was to be found in the consistent positivity of an oncology professor at Glasgow University who figured the cancer had just a 20 per cent chance of returning. 'He said: "It's curable, even if it comes back," and it did come back, and I had to do about a 12-week course of chemo - which was a week on and two weeks off.' On top of the singing compatriot in the neighbouring bed, laughter often proved just the tonic for Owen as he battled through a miserable year. 'There was always humour in what was happening but to be perfectly honest when the professor told me there was a cure then I just believed there was a cure. I didn't have any doubt after that. 'There were some issues moving through chemotherapy, including when we tried to play monopoly. 'With chemotherapy you actually lose dexterity in your fingers and we ended up all of us killing ourselves laughing because we couldn't pick up the pieces making the move. 'I will always remember that. Most of the time, we're in bed getting pumped full of this drug and then in the other times we actually tried to play a game and it was just daft. 'You would pick up a house and it would skate across the table. It's a fond memory of a hard time.' Soon he was cancer-free. The speed with which the illness had been spotted had proved pivotal in his chances of survival. 'It was gone after the chemo,' Owen said. 'It was a good cancer to get if you get it early enough. Any early cancer diagnosis is good.' For the next five or six years, Owen became a test case for an anti-chemo sickness drug, with doctors keeping a keen eye to see if his lymph nodes grew - which they did not. Making a habit of upsetting the odds, the cancer survivor was able to have a boy, named Scott, five years after receiving the all clear, despite being told ahead of his initial operation that this might prove impossible. He then had two more, a boy and a girl. His youngest is 25, while the middle child is now 27. Throughout the cancer ordeal, his wife Lindsay was a constant source of support. 'She was always there,' Owen added. 'It was tougher for her, for my family, my sisters, brothers and their kids.' Hell-bent on enjoying life after his miraculous recovery, Owen was 'determined' to retire by the age of 60 - an impressive feat he achieved two years ago - after becoming a partner at a consultant engineering firm. He has now changed his sport of choice to cycling, regularly cycling with friends - but only if there is a cake or coffee available at the end of the route. More importantly, Owen has became a serial fundraiser, regularly peddling to raise money over the last decade. His latest challenge will see him cycle 35 miles in the Tour de 4, Sir Chris Hoy's cancer charity initiative. His father-in-law was a cyclist into his eighties, inspiring the challenge, and won several veterans races. He died, aged 84, just six months after being diagnosed with myeloma, while Owen's mother-in-law also died from throat cancer. 'What disappointed me was that he degenerated so quickly,' he said. 'In his early 80s he had just bought a spin bike and was still doing the spin in the house. 'It didn't take very long and it was a lot of pain.' The latest fundraiser is a variation on a 13-year tradition which started when the Olympic Games headed to the UK in 2012. Owen added: 'I'm doing it with one of my mates, Ian. We do go occasionally for a cycle, and me and a lot of other mates have been doing charity since 2012 when the Olympics was in London. 'That year we cycled down to London and got there on the Saturday, and three of them ran the London Marathon on the Sunday. 'But this is just something for me and my pal, just to go and maybe think about the people [affected]. Cancer is distinct from the other things that we've been doing cycling for. '[We're particularly inspired by] Chris Hoy with him being a cyclist and stuff. We cycled in the velodrome, we had that experience. 'We're doing 35 miles. At 14 stone and six foot, it is quite hard going uphill.'
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Dad's symptoms dismissed as a virus before incurable cancer diagnosis
A father whose feet were so numb he felt like he was "walking in flippers" before an incurable blood cancer diagnosis has vowed to defy expectations and live to 100. Mart Roe, 62, a duty manager for a security team at a shopping centre, had been experiencing agonising back pain for weeks when he started losing the feeling in his feet and lower half of his body in 2020. After his symptoms were initially dismissed as a virus by a GP, he sought further medical advice and was soon told he had the incurable blood cancer myeloma in October that year. Scans revealed his T3 vertebra was "missing", he had four fractures in his back and was on the verge of paralysis. His treatment plan included radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in 2021. Mart in hospital wearing a back brace to stabilise his spine (Collect/PA Real Life) Mart, who lives in Basingstoke, Hampshire, experienced several complications post-transplant, including countless infections which left him in hospital for weeks, but he has since reached remission. While he is still undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart said he is 'living (his) best life' and is now fronting Myeloma UK's 'Know the Warning Signs' campaign to help the public spot the tell-tale symptoms of myeloma. Speaking about his perspective on life now, Mart told PA Real Life: 'I just live for today. 'If somebody says, 'You've probably got five years', why can't I be the one that doesn't have five years? 'I've always said, 'I'm going to live until I'm 100'.' Mart in hospital (Collect/PA Real Life) In August 2020, Mart, who lives with his 39-year-old wife Kayleigh, woke up one morning with a very sore upper back, which initially felt like a 'niggly' pain. Soon enough, it turned into a 'horrendous' sharp, stabbing pain, and he booked an appointment with a chiropractor, believing it was a slipped disc or trapped nerve in his back. 'I went to the chiropractor to see if they could help, but I was in so much pain I couldn't even get on the table,' Mart explained. With the chiropractor declining treatment because of the pain, Mart said he consulted his GP but was told the twinge between his shoulder blades was caused by a virus and would sort itself out eventually. Mart and his wife Kayleigh (Collect/PA Real Life) When he started experiencing 'numbness from (his) chest downwards', however, he knew it was something more serious. 'I remember pinching myself, and it didn't hurt as much as you thought it might,' he said. 'But my feet were perhaps the most uncomfortable because it felt like they were being squashed into something, like I was walking in flippers. Symptoms of myeloma may include: bone pain – you may feel this in your back, hips, shoulders or ribs feeling very tired for no reason shortness of breath muscle weakness headaches feeling very thirsty and needing to pee more often than usual losing weight without trying 'I remember my feet felt like blocks of ice when you've been out in the snow, but they were really warm when you touched them.' Eventually Mart was booked in for an emergency MRI scan at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and, the next day, he received a call telling him to go back to the hospital with an overnight bag. Mart undergoing treatment (Collect/PA Real Life) Days later, in October 2020, after having blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy, Mart was diagnosed with myeloma – a cancer he had 'never heard of'. 'I had a few tears… it was a lot to take in,' he said. 'The consultant explained that it's myeloma and there's no cure for it, and you think of the worst thing, which is dying. 'I was on my own at that time (because of Covid-19 restrictions) and I kept thinking of the family, Kayleigh, my daughter. 'I just thought, 'God, how am I going to tell them?'.' Mart is now fronting Myeloma UK's 'Know the Warning Signs' campaign (Collect/PA Real Life) Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer which occurs in the bone marrow, and symptoms include persistent or unexplained pain, particularly in the back or ribs, fatigue, unexplained weight loss and numbness in the feet, hands or legs. Despite being one of the most common types of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions, Myeloma UK says. For Mart, he underwent radiotherapy to reduce the swelling of the 'bulging' discs in his spine, before starting six months of chemotherapy, which caused side effects of fatigue and nausea. During this time, he had to wear a back brace for 14 weeks to 'stabilise' his spine – which he described as his 'tortoise shell' – and was forced to use a cane or walking frame. Mart had to wear a back brace and use a walker as a result of the damage to his bones (Collect/PA Real Life) 'Where his vertebra had gone, the T3 one, the discs had bulged either side and it had shut off his spinal cord, which is why he was numb from the chest down,' Kayleigh explained. 'He had four fractures in his spine as well, but we didn't actually know this until he was discharged.' After his back brace was taken off, Mart had to learn how to walk again after muscle wastage, and then he had a stem cell transplant in November 2021, which caused him to lose 10kg in nine days. Before the transplant, during the process of harvesting stem cells, Mart said he developed blood clots caused by a condition called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and afterwards, he was left with the 'immune system of a newborn', meaning he was susceptible to infections. Mart in hospital due to a blood clot (Collect/PA Real Life) At his worst, he said he was in hospital with four simultaneous infections – Covid, RSV and influenza type A and B. 'I just had to take everything one step at a time,' Mart said. 'I was just trying to be confident and positive.' Mart said he started a diary after his transplant to monitor his symptoms, recording his daily temperature and blood pressure readings and diet. Mart and Kayleigh gearing up for their Myeloma UK Lost in Lapland challenge (Collect/PA Real Life) While he is still at risk of infection and currently undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart is now in remission and determined to live life to the fullest. He proposed to his partner Kayleigh in March 2021 and they got married in May 2023, describing it as 'the best day', and Mart is planning a trip to Dubai for Kayleigh's 40th next year. He wants to raise more awareness of myeloma with the charity Myeloma UK and encourage others to get any unusual symptoms checked as soon as possible. Mart and Kayleigh described their wedding day as 'perfect' (Sian Fisher/PA Real Life) Reflecting on his diagnosis, Mart said: 'All of a sudden you go in with a bad back, and then the next thing in your head is you dying. 'But for me, I'm grateful that I wake up every morning and I don't take things for granted. 'I always tell people that if you're going to do something, do it, make the most of what's now, because you just never know (what might happen). 'I've got myeloma, where there's no cure, but it's treatable, and five years down the line, I'm here living my best life.' For more information or to contact Myeloma UK, visit or call its infoline on 0800 980 3332.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'GP said I had a virus but my vertebra has disappeared and I'm dying'
Mart Roe knew something was wrong when it felt like he was 'walking in flippers' A father whose feet were so numb he felt like he was 'walking in flippers' before receiving an incurable blood cancer diagnosis has said he plans to defy expectations and live to 100-years-old. Mart Roe, 62, a duty manager for a security team at a shopping centre, had been experiencing agonising back pain for weeks when he started losing the feeling in his feet and lower half of his body in 2020. After his symptoms were initially dismissed as a virus by a GP, he says, he sought further medical advice and was soon told he had the incurable blood cancer myeloma in October that year. He said scans revealed his T3 vertebra was 'missing', he had four fractures in his back and he was on the verge of paralysis, and his treatment plan included radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in 2021. Mart, who lives in Basingstoke, Hampshire, experienced several complications post-transplant, including countless infections which left him in hospital for weeks, but he has since reached remission. While he is still undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart said he is 'living (his) best life' and is now fronting Myeloma UK's 'Know the Warning Signs' campaign to help the public spot the tell-tale symptoms of myeloma. Speaking about his perspective on life now, Mart told PA Real Life: 'I just live for today. If somebody says, 'You've probably got five years', why can't I be the one that doesn't have five years? I've always said, 'I'm going to live until I'm 100'.' In August 2020, Mart, who lives with his 39-year-old wife Kayleigh, woke up one morning with a very sore upper back, which initially felt like a 'niggly' pain. Soon enough, it turned into a 'horrendous' sharp, stabbing pain, and he booked an appointment with a chiropractor, believing it was a slipped disc or trapped nerve in his back. 'I went to the chiropractor to see if they could help, but I was in so much pain I couldn't even get on the table,' Mart explained. With the chiropractor declining treatment because of the pain, Mart said he consulted his GP but was told the twinge between his shoulder blades was caused by a virus and would sort itself out eventually. When he started experiencing 'numbness from (his) chest downwards', however, he knew it was something more serious. 'I remember pinching myself, and it didn't hurt as much as you thought it might,' he said. 'But my feet were perhaps the most uncomfortable because it felt like they were being squashed into something, like I was walking in flippers. 'I remember my feet felt like blocks of ice when you've been out in the snow, but they were really warm when you touched them.' Eventually Mart was booked in for an emergency MRI scan at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and, the next day, he received a call telling him to go back to the hospital with an overnight bag. Days later, in October 2020, after having blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy, Mart was diagnosed with myeloma – a cancer he had 'never heard of'. 'I had a few tears… it was a lot to take in,' he said. 'The consultant explained that it's myeloma and there's no cure for it, and you think of the worst thing, which is dying. I was on my own at that time (because of Covid-19 restrictions) and I kept thinking of the family, Kayleigh, my daughter. I just thought, 'God, how am I going to tell them?'.' Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer which occurs in the bone marrow, and symptoms include persistent or unexplained pain, particularly in the back or ribs, fatigue, unexplained weight loss and numbness in the feet, hands or legs. Despite being one of the most common types of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions, Myeloma UK says. For Mart, he underwent radiotherapy to reduce the swelling of the 'bulging' discs in his spine, before starting six months of chemotherapy, which caused side effects of fatigue and nausea. During this time, he had to wear a back brace for 14 weeks to 'stabilise' his spine – which he described as his 'tortoise shell' – and was forced to use a cane or walking frame. 'Where his vertebra had gone, the T3 one, the discs had bulged either side and it had shut off his spinal cord, which is why he was numb from the chest down,' Kayleigh explained. 'He had four fractures in his spine as well, but we didn't actually know this until he was discharged.' After his back brace was taken off, Mart had to learn how to walk again after muscle wastage, and then he had a stem cell transplant in November 2021, which caused him to lose 10kg in nine days. Before the transplant, during the process of harvesting stem cells, Mart said he developed blood clots caused by a condition called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and afterwards, he was left with the 'immune system of a newborn', meaning he was susceptible to infections. At his worst, he said he was in hospital with four simultaneous infections – Covid, RSV and influenza type A and B. 'I just had to take everything one step at a time,' Mart said. 'I was just trying to be confident and positive.' Mart said he started a diary after his transplant to monitor his symptoms, recording his daily temperature and blood pressure readings and diet. While he is still at risk of infection and currently undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, Mart is now in remission and determined to live life to the fullest. He proposed to his partner Kayleigh in March 2021 and they got married in May 2023, describing it as 'the best day', and Mart is planning a trip to Dubai for Kayleigh's 40th next year. He wants to raise more awareness of myeloma with the charity Myeloma UK and encourage others to get any unusual symptoms checked as soon as possible. Reflecting on his diagnosis, Mart said: 'All of a sudden you go in with a bad back, and then the next thing in your head is you dying. 'But for me, I'm grateful that I wake up every morning and I don't take things for granted. I always tell people that if you're going to do something, do it, make the most of what's now, because you just never know (what might happen). 'I've got myeloma, where there's no cure, but it's treatable, and five years down the line, I'm here living my best life.'
The Irish Sun
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
I was days away from being paralysed after blaming back pain on being pregnant – a killer disease was eating my spine
SHEEMA Patel was just weeks into motherhood when agonising back pain left her screaming in the street. Doctors told the now 42-year-old from Harlow, Essex it was 4 Sheema Patel, now 42, developed back pain while pregnant with her son Mason Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK 4 Her symptoms left her in agony Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK By the time the disease was diagnosed as cancer, Sheema, who had just given birth to son Mason two months before, was told she was only three to four days away from being She tells Sun Health: 'I thought, I'm just too young. I've not had enough time with my son. 'The message that was delivered made me feel I only had weeks to live.' Sheema, who works in HR, had first felt something was wrong when her It immediately started to hurt, but she put the pain down to her pregnancy. As the pain worsened, she went to the hospital, where she was given a low dose of She says: 'My whole body went into a kind of spasm. 'But they couldn't do much because I was pregnant, so I decided to leave the hospital.' After giving birth on July 30, her symptoms worsened. Three weeks later, she started experiencing severe At this point, her pain was dismissed as sciatica - an irritated nerve - and the discomfort of post-partum recovery. What is myeloma? Her GP prescribed Then one day in late September, she was forced to cut short a walk near her house. 'I was three houses down and screaming in pain,' she recalls. 'My husband had to carry me, push the baby and walk the dog home. It was really bad.' 4 Scans revealed she had cancer that had left holes in her back Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK A few days later, in late September, Sheema saw a new GP at her practice. The doctor suspected After a series of scans and some back and forth, Sheema was told in October that she had lesions - holes in her spine, ribs and sternum - caused by myeloma, an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. The disease affects around 33,000 people in the UK. 'Don't ignore pain' She says: 'I was an odd case because I wasn't over 60, or a man, and I didn't fit the criteria for myeloma. 'But nobody should go through so much pain. It took months to be diagnosed, as it was just put down to sciatic pain.' She adds: 'My advice would be, don't ignore pain and keep pushing. Nothing was showing up in my bloods. "Back pain shouldn't go on for months, even if you're pregnant or have a new baby. "Ask for some X-rays or an MRI. You don't think you're going to get cancer at 40, but cancer doesn't discriminate.' Dr Sophie Castell, chief executive at "One of the biggest barriers remains identifying and piecing together the symptoms quickly and before too much damage is done. "Myeloma symptoms, back pain, fatigue, infections, are often vague and can be mistaken for ageing or minor conditions." This is partly because, unlike many cancers, myeloma doesn't form lumps or tumours. Instead, it attacks the bone marrow, the spongy material inside bones such as the spine, pelvis, ribs, and long bones, causing lesions that weaken bones and can lead to fractures. 'I thought was going to die there and then' Over a third of patients see their GP at least three times before diagnosis, and a quarter wait more than 10 months. Sheema recalls her diagnosis: 'I was upset. It was like I was going to die there and then. 'They didn't explain anything. You just don't want to believe it. It didn't make sense. 'The only thing I kept thinking about was that I wanted to take my son to Disneyland.' 4 Sheema is now in remission, though she knows the cancer is incurable Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK She sought a second opinion privately, where she was told the damage was so severe that any pressure could leave her paralysed. 'He confirmed that I needed to remain bedbound as any pressure to my spine was going to result in me being paralysed,' she says. 'It took a few days to process," she adds. "My mum had to move in with us because I wasn't able to do anything for my baby. The 10 red flag symptoms of myeloma Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. Despite being the third most common type of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions. While it is incurable, myeloma is treatable in the majority of cases. Treatment can lead to periods of remission but the cancer will inevitably come back. Symptoms of myeloma: Persistent or unexplained pain for more than four to six weeks, particularly in the back or ribs Tiredness that doesn't improve with rest (fatigue) Frequent or hard-to-clear infections Easily broken bones or unexpected fractures Experiencing either frequent urination or minimal to no urination Swollen legs or abdomen Nosebleeds or unexplained bleeding or bruising Unexplained weight loss Numbness in the feet, hands, or legs Unexplained shortness of breath Source: 'I couldn't even carry him. It was awful.' In March 2024, following her fourth round of chemotherapy, one of Sheema's spinal discs collapsed. Living with incurable cancer She required urgent surgery to stabilise her back, and in May, she underwent a stem cell transplant. She says: 'It was difficult. 'I feel like I missed out on the experience of being a new mum. "My son became very close to my mum because I wasn't able to carry him or care for him as I wanted to. 'But we've become much closer now, and we share a strong bond. I do everything I can for him now, taking him to soft play, to the zoo, and more.' Sheema is now in remission, though she knows the cancer is incurable. She adds: 'I know myeloma isn't curable and that it will likely return, but I'm a positive person. 'I'm focused on moving forward, going on holidays, taking my son to Disneyland when he's three or four, and building lasting memories. I'm incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive family. 'Mason and my husband are what keep me going.' If you're worried you might have myeloma, it can be hard to explain vague symptoms in a way that gets taken seriously. To help with this, Myeloma UK has created a simple To find out more about Myeloma UK, visit Key myeloma facts There are over 33,000 people living with myeloma in the UK There are over 2,300 people living with myeloma in Scotland On average 17 people are diagnosed with myeloma every day in the UK Eight people die from myeloma every day Around 6,200 people are diagnosed with myeloma every year in the UK Over 3,000 people die from myeloma every year in the UK More than half of all people with myeloma will survive for 5 years or more Around one in twp people with myeloma have to wait more than five months before they get the right diagnosis One in four people have to wait more than 10 months before they get the right diagnosis Around one in three people with myeloma are diagnosed through an emergency route Over a third of people with myeloma attend at least three appointments at their GP practice before getting a diagnosis Around four in five people diagnosed with myeloma every year are over the age of 60 Myeloma is two to three times more common in black people Myeloma is the most common blood cancer affecting black people Source:
Scottish Sun
18-06-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
I was days away from being paralysed after blaming back pain on being pregnant – a killer disease was eating my spine
"I thought, I'm just too young. I've not had enough time with my son," Sheema tells Sun Health - as she shares grave warning to all new mums RED FLAG I was days away from being paralysed after blaming back pain on being pregnant – a killer disease was eating my spine Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHEEMA Patel was just weeks into motherhood when agonising back pain left her screaming in the street. Doctors told the now 42-year-old from Harlow, Essex it was sciatica, but the truth was far worse: an incurable disease was eating holes in her spine. 4 Sheema Patel, now 42, developed back pain while pregnant with her son Mason Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK 4 Her symptoms left her in agony Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK By the time the disease was diagnosed as cancer, Sheema, who had just given birth to son Mason two months before, was told she was only three to four days away from being paralysed. She tells Sun Health: 'I thought, I'm just too young. I've not had enough time with my son. 'The message that was delivered made me feel I only had weeks to live.' Sheema, who works in HR, had first felt something was wrong when her back cracked while she was making her bed in April 2023, aged 40. It immediately started to hurt, but she put the pain down to her pregnancy. As the pain worsened, she went to the hospital, where she was given a low dose of morphine. She says: 'My whole body went into a kind of spasm. 'But they couldn't do much because I was pregnant, so I decided to leave the hospital.' After giving birth on July 30, her symptoms worsened. Three weeks later, she started experiencing severe leg pain. At this point, her pain was dismissed as sciatica - an irritated nerve - and the discomfort of post-partum recovery. What is myeloma? Her GP prescribed codeine, and she tried acupuncture, but nothing helped. Then one day in late September, she was forced to cut short a walk near her house. 'I was three houses down and screaming in pain,' she recalls. 'My husband had to carry me, push the baby and walk the dog home. It was really bad.' 4 Scans revealed she had cancer that had left holes in her back Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK A few days later, in late September, Sheema saw a new GP at her practice. The doctor suspected deep vein thrombosis, when a blood clot gets stuck in a vein, and sent her to A&E for more tests. After a series of scans and some back and forth, Sheema was told in October that she had lesions - holes in her spine, ribs and sternum - caused by myeloma, an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. The disease affects around 33,000 people in the UK. 'Don't ignore pain' She says: 'I was an odd case because I wasn't over 60, or a man, and I didn't fit the criteria for myeloma. 'But nobody should go through so much pain. It took months to be diagnosed, as it was just put down to sciatic pain.' She adds: 'My advice would be, don't ignore pain and keep pushing. Nothing was showing up in my bloods. "Back pain shouldn't go on for months, even if you're pregnant or have a new baby. "Ask for some X-rays or an MRI. You don't think you're going to get cancer at 40, but cancer doesn't discriminate.' Dr Sophie Castell, chief executive at Myeloma UK, the blood cancer charity, says: 'Myeloma has one of the longest times to diagnosis of any cancer. "One of the biggest barriers remains identifying and piecing together the symptoms quickly and before too much damage is done. "Myeloma symptoms, back pain, fatigue, infections, are often vague and can be mistaken for ageing or minor conditions." This is partly because, unlike many cancers, myeloma doesn't form lumps or tumours. Instead, it attacks the bone marrow, the spongy material inside bones such as the spine, pelvis, ribs, and long bones, causing lesions that weaken bones and can lead to fractures. 'I thought was going to die there and then' Over a third of patients see their GP at least three times before diagnosis, and a quarter wait more than 10 months. Sheema recalls her diagnosis: 'I was upset. It was like I was going to die there and then. 'They didn't explain anything. You just don't want to believe it. It didn't make sense. 'The only thing I kept thinking about was that I wanted to take my son to Disneyland.' 4 Sheema is now in remission, though she knows the cancer is incurable Credit: Family Handout / Myeloma UK She sought a second opinion privately, where she was told the damage was so severe that any pressure could leave her paralysed. 'He confirmed that I needed to remain bedbound as any pressure to my spine was going to result in me being paralysed,' she says. 'It took a few days to process," she adds. "My mum had to move in with us because I wasn't able to do anything for my baby. The 10 red flag symptoms of myeloma Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow. Despite being the third most common type of blood cancer, myeloma is difficult to detect as symptoms are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions. While it is incurable, myeloma is treatable in the majority of cases. Treatment can lead to periods of remission but the cancer will inevitably come back. Symptoms of myeloma: Persistent or unexplained pain for more than four to six weeks, particularly in the back or ribs Tiredness that doesn't improve with rest (fatigue) Frequent or hard-to-clear infections Easily broken bones or unexpected fractures Experiencing either frequent urination or minimal to no urination Swollen legs or abdomen Nosebleeds or unexplained bleeding or bruising Unexplained weight loss Numbness in the feet, hands, or legs Unexplained shortness of breath Source: Myeloma UK 'I couldn't even carry him. It was awful.' In March 2024, following her fourth round of chemotherapy, one of Sheema's spinal discs collapsed. Living with incurable cancer She required urgent surgery to stabilise her back, and in May, she underwent a stem cell transplant. She says: 'It was difficult. 'I feel like I missed out on the experience of being a new mum. "My son became very close to my mum because I wasn't able to carry him or care for him as I wanted to. 'But we've become much closer now, and we share a strong bond. I do everything I can for him now, taking him to soft play, to the zoo, and more.' Sheema is now in remission, though she knows the cancer is incurable. She adds: 'I know myeloma isn't curable and that it will likely return, but I'm a positive person. 'I'm focused on moving forward, going on holidays, taking my son to Disneyland when he's three or four, and building lasting memories. I'm incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive family. 'Mason and my husband are what keep me going.' If you're worried you might have myeloma, it can be hard to explain vague symptoms in a way that gets taken seriously. To help with this, Myeloma UK has created a simple Symptom Translator, a downloadable guide that puts common symptoms into medical language your GP will understand. To find out more about Myeloma UK, visit
