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Wales Online
a day ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Woman calls for sunbed ban after stage four cancer diagnosis, age 23
Woman calls for sunbed ban after stage four cancer diagnosis, age 23 Lily used a sunbed fewer than 10 times to get a 'base tan' before a holiday Lily and her dermatology surgeon at the work Christmas party A woman with stage four skin cancer has called for the UK government to ban sunbeds after her brief effort to get a pre-holiday 'base tan' led to a life-changing diagnosis. Lily Murphy, 30, from Watford, said she used sunbeds fewer than 10 times before she was diagnosed with melanoma at 23 years old, using them to 'start' her tan ahead of a trip to South East Asia with friends. Given the all clear from her first diagnosis, in 2023 Lily started experiencing pain in her back and chest and is now living with stage four melanoma and is expected to undergo life-long treatment after the disease spread to her neck and lungs. Working as an NHS administrative clerk in Watford General Hospital's dermatology department, Lily sees a growing number of young people referred for cancer biopsies, many with a history of sunbed use. In light of her professional and personal experiences, Lily is petitioning the government to ban sunbeds in the UK, copying similar legislation in Brazil and Australia, arguing the cost is too high to the individuals and an already overburdened NHS. 'I've probably used sunbeds for less than an hour in total,' Lily told PA Real Life. 'Just going on a sunbed for six minutes can change your whole life. Plus it costs the NHS: immunotherapy can cost £15,000 per round.' 'If I could stop just one person using sunbeds to save them going through what I've been through, it will be a miracle.' Lily first noticed a mole in 2018 that had darkened and started to bleed, but was told by doctors that it wasn't anything to worry about. Reassured, she went travelling to Vietnam and Bali with friends, using sunbeds beforehand to get a base tan. Lily in hospital 'It was literally just, 'Let's start my tan before I go on holiday', just a couple of minutes here, a couple minutes there, just to get the tan going,' she explained. While on holiday, she did use sun cream to protect herself from the sun's UV rays. 'As I'm very fair-skinned I'd always get burnt no matter what, even if I put it on,' she said. 'I probably wasn't as cautious as I would be now; now I'm putting it on every couple of hours, whereas before I was probably putting it on once or twice a day.' Upon her return to the UK, Lily went back to the doctor for a second opinion on her mole. 'That's when the doctor said, 'This doesn't look right, I'm going to refer you on the two-week cancer pathway',' said Lily. She had the mole removed and was called back for an appointment two weeks later. 'There were two Macmillan Cancer nurses in there too… that's when they said to me it's come back as melanoma, stage 1B,' she explained. 'I was shocked, I was devastated. But as there was a delay between the call and the appointment, by the time I saw the doctor, it had actually sunk in a bit.' Stage 1B melanoma is one of the earliest stages of skin cancer, meaning that it has not yet spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body – and it is generally highly curable, which meant Lily was optimistic about getting the all-clear after treatment. Lily was the youngest person in her cancer support group. She added: 'Everyone else was in their 40s, 50s, 60s, it was an experience.' She had a wide local excision and a central lymph node biopsy at the Royal Free Hospital in London in 2019. 'It felt like such a relief to hear that the cancer hadn't spread – my cancer journey might have been short, it was only a couple of months, but I said to myself, 'I've beaten it',' said Lily. 'I did think I've got another chance in life; let's just go and have fun, just going on holidays, nights out and just appreciating everyone around me and spending as much time with everyone as possible, because life is so short.' It was after a family weekend to a log cabin in Gloucestershire in January 2023 that she started to feel unwell again. 'I was just constantly tired, and I couldn't understand why,' Lily said. 'The following weekend I worked overtime and had back pain, so I thought I'd sat uncomfortably or something. But then I woke up the next morning and had really bad chest pain and couldn't breathe, and said to my mum it feels like something's not right.' Despite repeated trips to A&E, Lily's concerns were dismissed as anxiety, linked to her mental health history. Eventually, through her mum, who also works at Watford General, she was booked for scans and blood tests in a different department, which led to a Stage 4 melanoma diagnosis. Lily won an Inspirational Colleague award at Watford General Hospital for her endurance during her treatment 'They said we've found some masses in your lung and your neck,' said Lily. Doctors explained that in rare cases like hers, melanoma can spread via the blood and not show on the scans she had done during her first cancer experience. With new treatments, some people are living with stage four melanoma for a long time according to Cancer Research UK. Lily began immunotherapy treatment in April 2023, but struggled to tolerate the doses required, with each round costing the NHS £15,000. She then tried two oral chemotherapy treatments but developed a severe allergic reaction within 10 days, including a rash that spread down her throat. Lily later developed sepsis, caused by a weakened immune system, and was taken to hospital. In February 2025, she started a new treatment that has already begun shrinking her cancer, despite only managing four of the recommended 12 tablets per day. 'I'm taking a break from treatment at the moment, because it's just too much on my body,' Lily said. Now on a phased return to work, she's back booking skin cancer biopsies. 'As much as it's triggering, it's rewarding – I can help people because I've had the experience of the worry,' Lily explained. Her petition, Ban Sun Beds to Protect Against Skin Cancer in the UK, launched in May and has already gained more than 700 signatures. 'It was just a spur of the moment thing,' she said. 'Every day I'm getting biopsy requests where the patient has a history of using sunbeds. Sunbeds are a known cancer risk. 'Banning them would save lives – and save the NHS money.' On top of a sunbed ban, Lily has called for better education as she believes social media and influencer culture glamorise tanning without showing the risks, even though safer alternatives are widely available. 'Your tan is semi-permanent, but your life should be permanent,' Lily said. A West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spokesperson said: 'Lily is an inspirational colleague who continues to work tirelessly for the Trust and our patients while undergoing treatment. We are in awe of her phenomenal work ethic and her spirit, and we send her all our support during this challenging time.' Article continues below Lily's petition can be found at:
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Woman unable to walk or talk seeks help 1,000 miles away after bad UK experience
A woman who showed no symptoms has been left unable to walk and talk. Following claims that the NHS wanted to discharge her, the 45-year-old has been taken 1,000 miles away to help with her recovery A woman who collapsed while out on a walk has had to seek medical help abroad after a horrifying ordeal with the NHS. Anna Chithrakala, an English teacher and palliative carer from London, suddenly lost the ability to speak and was unable to walk or move. The 45-year-old was rushed to hospital where she underwent a six-hour operation, during which she had a major bleed on the brain and was diagnosed with a stroke. She was tragically left unable to walk, talk or move the right side of her body. Before the stroke, Anna was working as a freelance teacher and a live-in palliative carer while also studying to be a complementary medicine practitioner. But on December 21, 2024, with no prior symptoms, she had collapsed. Her family said the ambulance took 35 minutes to arrive and was then delayed in setting off to the hospital due to difficulties administering to her. They claimed, it then took hours to get her into surgery for a brain bleed at Bristol Southmead Hospital, after surgeons were unable to treat her at a smaller hospital. "From her collapse, it took five-and-a-half hours to get her into surgery at the right hospital,' her 40-year-old brother Senthil Seveelavanan told PA Real Life. "This was partly due to ambulance staff having to register her before rushing her to the hospital. It was just complete inefficiency." She underwent two brain operations and was put into an induced coma. "She was between life and death for several weeks," her mother, Piroska Markus, 69, said. However, as an NHS outpatient, she would only be entitled to two-and-a-half hours of rehabilitation per week for up to one month after leaving the ward. Fearing Anna would not have the tools to recover, her family found alternative treatment at the National Medical Rehabilitation Centre Budakeszi in Hungary, offering all-inclusive therapy and board, for which they were quoted around £5,000 from private UK providers. The family drove Anna to Hungary, which took two-and-a-half days on the road, to get the care she needed. Anna is now receiving intensive rehabilitation for £500 per week, a fee 10 times less than she was quoted for private treatment in the UK, where she is learning to walk and talk again after previously not being able to blink. "I love it here," Anna said, speaking from the hospital in Hungary with the help of her mum and brother. "This hospital makes a difference to my recovery as everyone is optimistic and everything is about being active. "In Lewisham, everything was pessimistic, nurses were bullying patients and the wards were very noisy with people mostly remaining in bed. I tried to climb out of the bed and escape the hospital." For the treatment, Anna has access to weekly physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, water therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, including cooking skills, and robotics therapy to stimulate her right arm and leg. She also has a weekly counselling session with a therapist at the hospital. Piroska added: "I knew that rehabilitation is a strong part of the culture here and the philosophy of rehab is different. The machinery is all around so patients can use it whenever they like. "Anna shares a room with only one other person and they have their own balcony overlooking a forest and a bathroom adapted to their needs." Anna's right hand and foot remains paralysed but she is able to walk with significant effort. She is also regaining her speech, speaking in broken sentences, and slowly recovering her cognitive abilities. "It is a false economy cutting corners on rehab. These people could work or study but the lack of facilities takes it away from them. Anna has gone from not being able to blink to sometimes talking in complete sentences and she is getting better all the time. We want to thank everybody who has donated. It's been lifesaving and we can't say thank-you enough." Her family will run out of funds by June 2, however, so they have launched a GoFundMe page in the hope she can continue her recovery. A Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust spokesperson said: 'We are very sorry to hear about Ms Chithrakala's experience with us and would encourage her and her family to contact us directly so that we can open a formal investigation into their concerns. "We wish Ms Chithrakala well with her continued recovery and hope that she is able to return home soon."
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Mum of two given devastating diagnosis after symptoms were dismissed as vertigo
A mum of two thought her life could begin again after receiving treatment for breast cancer, but then she was given a devastating diagnosis after her symptoms were initially dismissed as vertigo A mum who thought she'd beaten cancer was devastated to find it had returned- after her symptoms were repeatedly brushed off as vertigo. Carrie Howard, 43, rang the bell in 2023 after being given the all-clear from triple-negative breast cancer following months of chemotherapy, a mastectomy and radiotherapy. At the time, scans from her neck down showed no sign of disease and the receptionist from Wigan, G reater Manchester, thought 'life could begin again.' But nearly two years later, in December 2024, Carrie started suffering from headaches and dizziness. She visited her GP three times, but each time she was told it was vertigo and sent away with tablets. Her symptoms worsened and she took herself to A&E at Wigan Hospital in February, where doctors revealed her cancer had not only returned but had spread to her brain, progressing from stage three to stage four. 'When I rang the bell thinking I had beaten cancer, it felt like a weight lifted and life could begin again,' Carrie told PA Real Life. 'We thought the chemo had mopped up cancer anywhere else in the body and I was cancer-free. 'But the brain tumour was there all along. It was very hard having to sit the boys down again and say 'mummy has to go through more treatment'. If I knew at the time, I would have had a private MRI scan to check my entire body.' Carrie first found a pea-sized lump in her left breast in July 2022 while putting on her pyjamas. An MRI scan at Wigan Hospital confirmed it was stage three triple-negative breast cancer - a fast-spreading and aggressive type and that it had already reached her lymph nodes. 'It was a shock,' she said. 'I thought they would run some tests and send me home but they said the chemo would mop it up and rid me of it. 'It was brutal – I lost my hair, my eyelashes, my eyebrows but I could see the light at the end of the tunnel and was fighting to beat it.' In January 2023, she had a mastectomy and underwent radiotherapy. A follow-up scan three months later showed no signs of cancer, and she rang the bell in celebration. 'It felt worth it,' she said. 'We'd put our lives on hold and now it was over.' She slowly returned to normal life, going back to work, cheering her sons on at football training and enjoying a family holiday in Turkey. But in December 2024, Carrie started getting headaches, veering to the right when she walked and feeling as though she might collapse. Despite three GP visits and prescriptions for vertigo, she returned to A&E, where an MRI scan revealed a shadow on her brain. 'Doctors did an MRI and then took us into a separate room and told us there was a shadow on the scan,' she said. Further scans confirmed that her triple-negative breast cancer had travelled to her brain before the chemo and had managed to survive the treatment. The brain is protected by a blood-brain barrier, which stops harmful substances and in some cases chemotherapy from getting through. Doctors diagnosed Carrie with stage four metastatic brain cancer. She had a seven-hour operation to remove a large tumour, followed by targeted radiotherapy to shrink a second, smaller growth. Now, the family is waiting for results to find out whether she is finally cancer-free. Her husband James, 43, a sales manager, said: 'We're hoping that it's all been removed and that Carrie gets to ring the bell again. But we also have an anxiety of whether it will come up somewhere else. 'Carrie still has a lot of fight in her but you can only withstand so much in one go.' The family is now researching alternative treatments and clinical trials both in the UK and abroad. James added: 'Wigan Hospital has only treated two other people who had triple-negative cancer that moved to the brain so the data just isn't there. We don't know what comes next so we need to be prepared.' Carrie's best friend, Rebecca van der Lee, 41, has set up a GoFundMe which has already raised £17,540 to help fund future treatments. A charity night with live music and karaoke will be held at The Farmers Arms in Bispham, Lancashire, on June 6 to help raise even more. 'The support has been amazing, it's just incredible,' Carrie said. 'Friends are giving support and everyone is rallying together.' Carrie and her family are raising awareness around secondary cancers, lump checks and the need for more full-body scans when cancer spreads to lymph nodes. A link to Carrie's GoFundMe can be found here.
Dublin Live
22-05-2025
- Health
- Dublin Live
'Kind-hearted' Dublin dad dies days after wedding as tributes pour in
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Dublin has been plunged into grief as locals pay their respects to a young father who sadly lost his battle with cancer just days after getting married Dean Dunphy, a van driver from Ballyfermot, faced a heartrending diagnosis of stage four brain cancer, specifically glioblastoma, in August 2023 following signs similar to that of a stroke coupled with muscle spasms. Dean, 34, sadly died at Beaumont Hospital on Wednesday (May 21), just three short days after exchanging vows with his soul mate, Michaela, in an intimate and heartfelt ceremony surrounded by family and friends at Opium in the city centre. Little did the newlyweds know, behind the scenes, kind-hearted relatives had set up a €40,000 fundraising effort to help cover the wedding and healthcare costs, as the couple faced hardships with employment. Notably, esteemed professional fighter Conor McGregor stepped in, contributing a generous donation of €10,000 towards their plight, reports the Irish Mirror. Michaela and Dean's romance began in 2011 when he stumbled upon her Facebook profile and took a leap by adding her as a friend Their online relationship blossomed into real life as they agreed to meet at a party in March, paving the way for a deepening bond which saw them welcome their daughter Sloane into the world in 2021. Childhood ailments plagued Dean with persistent headaches and migraines but were brushed off by medics as "common". However, come June 2023, alarming muscle twitches began occurring out of the blue – even as Dean was navigating the motorway during work duties. (Image: Family handout/PA Real Life) Dean told Michaela that he felt like he had "no control of his body", prompting her to swiftly get him to their local A&E, followed by a transfer to another hospital. Initially, it was thought Dean might have Bell's palsy as it triggers paralysis or weakness on one side of the face, but this was ruled out after blood tests, scans, and examinations. Then, in July, the situation took a turn when Michaela got a call from the hospital revealing "they had found something on his brain". On August 24, 2023, which coincided with Michaela's 30th birthday, Dean underwent open brain surgery. The seven-hour operation proceeded smoothly as medics removed some tissue for biopsy. However, the following week brought heartache when the doctors delivered the devastating news that Dean had stage 4 brain cancer, more precisely glioblastoma. Not long after, Dean faced another surgical procedure to eliminate additional "active" cancerous tissue from his brain. Post-surgery, Dean embarked on chemotherapy and radiotherapy and, in August 2024, they managed to squeeze in a family getaway to Spain with the doctors' approval. Their holiday was cut short due to Dean's rapidly worsening condition, forcing them to dash back as his symptoms escalated "from zero to 100". Back home, medical staff detected brain swelling and commenced a more aggressive chemotherapy regimen along with a "blocker treatment" to stall the tumour's growth. Dean persevered with treatments to keep his symptoms at bay while regularly attending three-month check-ups as he and Michaela forged ahead with their wedding plans. The couple tied the knot in an emotional ceremony just days before Dean tragically passed away, leaving behind a heartbroken family and circle of friends. The father-of-one died 'peacefully in the arms of his wife Michaela and surrounded by his loving family at Beaumont Hospital', as stated in a heart-wrenching death notice on Touching tributes have been flooding in for the beloved lad, hailed as "one of life's absolute gentlemen", remembered for his laughter and kindness which deeply impacted many. In an online post, a friend of Dean's wrote: "Earlier today the sad news broke of the very untimely passing of one of life's absolute gentlemen. At times words can express the extreme sadness felt by so many at the passing of one so highly regarded by all that knew and loved them but on this occasion I know I can sincerely say that no words can convey the sadness of each and every human being that knew Dean Dunphy myself included. "What I can say is that this is one gentleman I am proud and privileged to have known and work along side through thick and thin for years and he will never be forgotten. My heart goes out to his wife, daughter and extended family." A family friend also took a moment to express gratitude towards those who supported the GoFundMe campaign set up for Dean's family, writing: "Several weeks ago, a GoFundMe was launched for Dean Dunphy and his family. "Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, Dean and his childhood sweetheart, Michaela, were able to exchange vows in a wedding ceremony, even though cancer cast a heavy shadow over their day. "Tragically, just three days later, Dean passed away peacefully in his sleep. Dean was a devoted husband, a radiant father to his beloved three-year-old daughter, and a cherished friend whose laughter, kindness, and indomitable spirit touched countless lives. "His courage inspired us all to hold our loved ones closer and to embrace each moment fully. On behalf of everyone, I extend my deepest condolences to Michaela, their daughter, his mother Louise and the entire Dunphy family following this heartbreaking news." Another pal added: "Deano was such a gent and always a pleasure to be around growing up, kindhearted soul that embodied the spirit of a ballyer man - R.I.P deano." While another said: "Deano was such a gent and always a pleasure to be around growing up, kindhearted soul that embodied the spirit of a ballyer man - R.I.P deano." Dean will be reposing at his Cherry Orchard home from 4pm to 6pm on Friday, with removal on Saturday morning to The Church of The Most Holy Sacrament, Cherry Orchard arriving for 10.30am Funeral Mass followed by a Cremation in Mount Jerome Crematorium at 12.45pm. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
North Wales Live
16-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
'I woke up deaf one day and my life went downhill - but my new best friend changed everything'
A Flintshire woman woke up one morning and, in complete bewilderment, she realised she was profoundly deaf. As Alison Wallace adjusted to her new reality, she underwent the "dehumanising' experience of being 'spat on' for using sign language in public. At the age of 13, she experienced a sudden and inexplicable loss of hearing overnight. For six years, her hearing fluctuated, disappearing and reappearing, until 2020 when it 'never came back'. Diagnosed with a rare inner ear condition, Alison - now aged 28 - endured plummeting self-esteem, recurring nightmares and the loss of friendships. It left her feeling like a 'shadow' of herself. Things improved when she was introduced to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, a UK charity training dogs to support those who are deaf. In April 2019, Alison was matched with a hearing dog named Damson, who now alerts Alison to sounds such as her smoke alarm, doorbell and alarm clock. The emotional support Damson provides has been 'indescribable', she said – the dog helps her sleep peacefully at night. She has since passed her driving test and moved in with her partner, Maciej Filipiak, 31, after the pair met on a dog walk. 'Just as I was hitting puberty, my life became about deafness and mental health,' Alison, who works as youth development lead for the King's Trust Achieve programme, said. 'I had no confidence and no self-esteem, I felt a shadow of myself. 'The mental health side of having Damson has been indescribable and it's the hardest thing to try and explain how much she means to me. She's my ears but she's also my best friend.' Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now Alison's life changed overnight in 2010 when, one morning, she woke up 'profoundly deaf' - she's never previous suffered any form of hearing loss. 'My mum had called me to get up and wash the dishes and when I didn't answer, she assumed I was ignoring her,' she told PA Real Life. Her hearing suddenly returned three weeks later but 'just as quickly, it went away again'. As she struggled on and off with her hearing for six years, she discovered she had a 'very rare' auto-immune condition of the inner ear. In 2020, Alison lost her hearing completely. She is now profoundly deaf in both ears and wears hearing aids, preferring to communicate with British Sign Language (BSL). The condition weighed heavily on Alison throughout her youth. She had nightmares 'every night', her friends turned their backs on her and her self-esteem ebbed away. 'I used to fall asleep with the TV or a light on because I was terrified when it was fully dark and silent,' she said. 'I lost my friends almost overnight, they were either too weirded-out by the change or didn't have the patience to try and communicate with me.' Alison said she relied on her parents, Lorraine, 65, and Billy, 69, for 'everything'. Her teenage years were spent watching TV at home with them. As her peers began to select their career paths, Alison said she 'didn't have a clue' what she was going to do. She said: 'On my first day at sixth-form college, I was told, 'no deaf person goes to university, there's nothing you can study, there's no support for you'.' Thankfully, her tutor pointed her in the direction of a sign language and deaf studies degree at the University of Central Lancashire. In 2018, she secured her first job at the Deafness Resource Centre. Soon after, Alison and her communication support worker were signing to each other in the street when a group of youths walked by. 'As they passed, I turned to look back and saw one of the boys do mocking hand signals, he caught my eye and I challenged him,' she said. 'He spat on me before walking away with his friends. I'd dealt with bad attitudes to deafness before, but nothing so blatantly degrading. I felt dehumanised and disrespected.' Alison's life was transformed when she was introduced to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People in April 2019. 'I felt at peace for the first time in years,' she said. 'I feel much safer going out at night now. I know I'm not alone when I have Damson with me – I feel protected and trust she would alert me to something going on. If someone breaks in, she would tell me before someone was in the bedroom – I don't have that constant 'what if' anymore.' Crucially, Damson also provides the emotional support Alison needed to boost her confidence. She's since moved from her family home and secured her current job – which often involves public speaking to groups of 100 children or more. Alison met her partner, Maciej, in May 2020 and they are expecting their first child. 'I still have some poor mental health days,' she said. 'But on the days when I'm bad, Damson just stays by my side. 'She makes me feel I can give anything a try – I can't imagine my life without her.'
