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Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
My ten-inch alien growth had teeth, hair and bone – I wanted that beast out of me
The cyst was discovered by medics after her belly swelled to make her look 'eight months pregnant'. T Terrifying My ten-inch alien growth had teeth, hair and bone – I wanted that beast out of me Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM has told how a huge 'alien' cyst was found inside her — with hair, bone and teeth. Natalie Hendry, 34, was told the 24cms (10ins) growth in her abdomen could have killed her. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The cyst made her look 'eight months pregnant' and could have been fatal Credit: The Scottish Sun 4 Natalie shares a picture from her hospital bed, during the terrifying ordeal Credit: The Scottish Sun 4 Mum-of-three Natalie is sharing her story to warn other women Credit: Mark Ferguson It was discovered by medics after her belly swelled to make her look 'eight months pregnant'. The mother of three said: 'It was as if an alien was inside me — it was terrifying.' Natalie, from Knightswood, Glasgow, went to her GP last month after feeling exhausted and dizzy and discovering she couldn't bend over. At first it was thought she had a hernia. But three days later Natalie called NHS24 after her stomach ballooned. She was taken to the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where a rare dermoid cyst was found on her right ovary. The cyst had grown so large over time it sat beneath her rib cage, which, if left, could have been fatal. The NHS carer underwent eight hours of surgery at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Hospital on April 15 - and says she is 'so lucky to be alive'. Natalie said: 'A student nurse confirmed it looked just like what you see on the internet, with hair, teeth and bone. It was like an alien was growing inside of me - it was terrifying. 'I had surgeons saying they wanted to be in the surgery because they'd not seen anything like it. 'They drained 2.5litres of fluid out of it and it was carefully taken out whole, so they could use it for educational purposes. 'I didn't know these things existed and I'm just so lucky to be alive.' Natalie was due to fly off to Gran Canaria on April 24, with her partner Ross Thompson, 38, a machine operator, and their three kids Mason, 13, Layla, five, and two-year-old Luca. Brit shark attack Jamaica She said: 'I'd gone on a pre-holiday diet because I felt so bloated and exhausted, but I was losing weight everywhere else apart from my stomach - it was solid hard and eventually I looked eight months pregnant. 'Little did I know, it was a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode. And if I'd gone ahead on our holiday, they said with the altitude of the flight , it would've been deadly. 'It was entangled in all my vital organs, including my lungs, which is why I was finding it hard so to breathe.' Natalie spent a week in hospital recovering from the terrifying ordeal and is sharing her story to encourage other busy mums to get any complaints checked out straight away. 4 Natalie has recovered well from the ordeal and is grateful to be back home with her three kids Mason, 13, Layla, five, and two-year-old Luca Credit: Mark Ferguson She said: 'They thought it had been growing inside me for years - apparently they only grow around 1mm every year.' Natalie now has a new lease of life, since her brush with death. She added: 'I had no fear in me whatsoever, going into theatre, I just kept thinking about my kids and wanted that beast out of me. 'I'm so thankful to the hospital staff and surgeons - they managed to save my left ovary which meant I didn't go into early menopause. 'It's been life changing." NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokeswoman said: 'Many ovarian cysts, including dermoid cysts, arise from cells within the ovary very early on in life. 'These cells have the ability to change into different cell types, which can include hair, teeth, cartilage and nerve cells. This is due to their origin from different body cells and the tissues maturing. 'Therefore, it is not uncommon for cysts to have hair, teeth and bone within them when they are removed. 'The majority of ovarian and dermoid cysts are benign and are rarely malignant.'
Glasgow Times
18-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Special benches installed at Glasgow train stations
Cardonald and Uddingston stations now join a growing list with the specially-designed benches fitted, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, which takes place from May 12 to 18. Network Rail, working in partnership with NHS24's Breathing Space service, the Samaritans, local authorities, and ScotRail, rolled out these benches at Dumfries, Dundee, Uddingston, Fort William and Cardonald. The benches aim to encourage commuters to take a moment for themselves and reflect on their mental state. They also provide a dedicated spot for those who wish to discuss their troubles with someone else. READ MORE: Much-loved pizza restaurant reveals opening date for third Glasgow venue Innis Keith, health, safety, and environment director at Network Rail, said: "Mental health support belongs everywhere, including our railway. "The benches provide an opportunity for people to transform the time spent waiting for their train into a moment to focus on their wellbeing. "They invite you to pause, reflect, and, if you choose, share a conversation." David Ross, communications director at ScotRail, said: "We're proud to support an initiative that encourages kindness, openness, and mental wellbeing — values that are important to ScotRail and the communities we serve. 'By working with our partners, we're helping to make stations welcoming spaces where people can pause, talk, and support each other. Sometimes just sitting down for a chat can make all the difference.' READ MORE: Man arrested after 'serious sex attack' at Glasgow property Breathing Space benches have already been available at several Scottish stations, including Glasgow Central and Hyndland. More than 50 of these exist across the UK. They have received positive feedback about creating a supportive environment for people in need of mental health guidance. Tony McLaren, national coordinator for Breathing Space, said: "These benches are more than just a place to sit, they are a symbol of our commitment to encouraging open conversations about mental health. "By providing a safe and welcoming space, we hope to inspire individuals to take a moment to reflect and reach out for support if needed. "Let's continue to break the stigma surrounding mental health by remembering it's okay to not be okay and that reaching out for help is a sign of strength."
STV News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Swinney faces questions after assisted dying vote and immigration row
John Swinney will face FMQs on Thursday, days after the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of taking a landmark first step toward legalising assisted dying. The First Minister voted against the bill, which would give terminally ill patients the option of requesting help to end their own lives, on Tuesday evening. However, it was voted past the first stage 70 to 56, with one abstention. FMQs is also coming just days after Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that the UK risks becoming an 'island of strangers' while announcing an immigration crackdown. On Monday, the UK Labour Government outlined a suite of proposals to control and crack down on both legal and illegal immigration. Amongst the proposals, migrants would need to spend up to a decade in the UK before they can apply for citizenship. Starmer also wants to end the recruitment of care workers from abroad, cut the number of visas for lower-skilled workers by up to 50,000, and ramp up English language requirements across the board. Immediately after the announcement, Swinney branded the proposals as 'damaging' to the Scottish economy, NHS, social care, and universities. He said Starmer's proposals used the sort of 'divisive language' that 'only plays into Nigel Farage's hands'. The First Minister will also be asked about what steps the Scottish Government is taking to address NHS 24 performance, and what assessment the Government has made of the recently announced UK-USA trade deal for Scottish businesses. FMQs will be broadcast from the Scottish Parliament chamber at noon on Thursday. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Breathing Space bench to be unveiled at Uddingston station
Passengers and community members will be encouraged to pause for thought at the bench, being installed to mark mental health week A new bench encouraging train passengers to pause for thought and conversation is being unveiled at Uddingston station as part of the current Mental Health Awareness Week. The station is one of five across Scotland to have the latest new Breathing Space benches put in place by Network Rail to help promote positive mental wellbeing, taking the total across Scotland to 12 including those at Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley. Uddingston station users and members of the community will be invited to 'take a moment to pause and reflect on their own mental health', while the benches also offer 'a dedicated space to talk through challenges and difficult times with others'. The benches are being put in place by Network Rail in partnership with Scotrail, NHS 24's Breathing Space service, the Samaritans and local authorities. Network Rail health, safety and environment director Innis Keith said: 'Mental health support belongs everywhere, including our railway. 'The benches provide an opportunity for people to transform the time spent waiting for their train into a moment to focus on their wellbeing. They invite you to pause, reflect, and, if you choose, share a conversation – whether you're waiting for a train or simply passing through, taking a seat can be the first step toward easing feelings of stress, loneliness, or anxiety.' Scotrail communications director David Ross added: 'We're proud to support an initiative that encourages kindness, openness, and mental wellbeing – values that are important to ScotRail and the communities we serve. 'Looking after mental health is something we all have a part to play in, and these benches are a simple but powerful reminder that no-one has to face tough times alone. 'By working with our partners, we're helping to make stations welcoming spaces where people can pause, talk, and support each other. Sometimes just sitting down for a chat can make all the difference.' Tony McLaren, national co-ordinator for Breathing Space, added: 'These benches are more than just a place to sit; they are a symbol of our commitment to encouraging open conversations about mental health. 'By providing a safe and welcoming space, we hope to inspire individuals to take a moment to reflect and reach out for support if needed. Let's continue to break the stigma surrounding mental health by remembering it's OK to not be OK and that reaching out for help is a sign of strength.'
Scottish Sun
10-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
NHS 24 in spotlight again amid fresh calls for service response time to be improved
Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane says 'this should be a wake-up call" PHONING IT IN NHS 24 in spotlight again amid fresh calls for service response time to be improved THE swamped NHS24 helpline finally hit its target for the first time since 2023 — after an army of extra staff were temporarily drafted in Bosses ramped up frontline workers by 71 per cent, slashing average answering times of 20 minutes to just seconds. Advertisement 1 The service answered 38,578 calls over the Easter holiday weekend Credit: GETTY But the temporary move, resulting in the goal of a wait of five minutes or less being reached, has been slammed after performance slumped since Easter. Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: 'This should be a wake-up call for Health Secretary Neil Gray to permanently fund frontline healthcare, rather than it being squandered on backroom bureaucracy.' Scottish Labour counterpart Jackie Baillie said: 'It's right that action is taken to make sure people can get help over bank holiday weekends, but Scots shouldn't have to settle for a second-rate service the rest of the year.' Average call answering time was just nine seconds on Good Friday, compared to 17 minutes the day before, NHS data shows. Advertisement Calls were then picked up within 23 seconds on the Saturday and six seconds on Easter Sunday. However, there were 825 staff on duty on Good Friday, compared to an average of 283 in recent weeks. The Saturday saw 851 call handlers instead of a previous average of 689; and on Easter Sunday there were 832, compared to 680. The service answered 38,578 calls over the holiday week, compared to 29,904 for the previous seven days. Advertisement NHS24 said: 'Staffing is planned to manage anticipated increases in calls based on predicted demand from data from previous years. 'During non-peak demand periods, we ensure that there is always a safe level of clinical supervision available through careful resource planning. Moment Scots nurse who is suing NHS amid trans doctor row is piped into tribunal as dozens show support 'Due to the necessity of clinical input into most 111 calls, we have focused our recruitment efforts and anticipate reaching full establishment by summer 2025.' The Scottish Government was contacted for comment.
