When she noticed a bruise the size of an apple appears on her left thigh in January 2024, Sheila Garvey didn’t even consider that she had cancer. Six months later, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Sheila had been decorating her house, so initially attributed the bruise to the increased physical activity.
“When it didn’t go away, I went to see the doctor who gave me some cream for it,” said Sheila, who lives in Morecambe. “I went back again when my thigh started to hurt intensely. It was awful pain, like claws scratching at my thigh. My son eventually rang 111 for some advice, and I was encouraged to go to Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) in Lancaster.”
After a myriad of tests and scans, Sheila continued to experience intense pain in her leg. She also started to feel cold and shivery. Doctors believed she might have a tumour at the top of her leg.
Sheila said: “I got a call from an SDEC Doctor, who broke the news that I had a sarcoma. The prognosis wasn’t good, but I was referred to a specialist in the sarcoma unit in Chorley and later to Preston for a biopsy.”
Sheila had to undergo further biopsies when the initial set produced inconclusive results, and her results were then lost in the system, causing further delays in her diagnosis.
“It had been six months since my first symptom,” she said. “I went back to Lancaster in June to the Haematology Unit, where the consultant finally gave me a correct diagnosis of blood cancer - Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I was totally befuddled. I was told that I had to start treatment immediately, as I only had three months left to live without it. I was diagnosed on Monday and began chemotherapy on Wednesday.”
Sheila had six rounds of intensive chemotherapy every three weeks, followed by 15 consecutive sessions of radiotherapy. During radiotherapy, she suffered from a prolonged bout of cystitis due to two burn holes in her bladder caused by the treatment.
“My son, husband and I all needed help to process what was happening,” she said. “We were all in bits, and I was the first person in my circle to have cancer. I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be, and I had lots of anxiety. I met a therapist from CancerCare at the hospital, and she kindly gave me a hand massage, which felt lovely. She handed me a leaflet about the charity and I got in touch. Within a couple of weeks, I had an appointment with CancerCare’s assessor, Georgie. She was so understanding and listened to us before talking through the various options. We decided that we’d benefit from massage therapy and counselling.
“My therapist, Alison, was instrumental in maintaining my courage and mental health,” Sheila continued. “She’s an amazing person and has taken the pain away from me. The centres are so welcoming, and you feel safe and comforted as soon as you step inside.”
Sheila is now a volunteer and contributes delicious bakes to CancerCare’s events to raise essential funds. She has also had lymphedema massage on her leg to provide relief from one of the side effects of treatment.
“I’ve always enjoyed baking and I can now bake without worrying about the calories! I’ve learned so much about CancerCare, including how generous people can be - it’s restored my faith in humanity. CancerCare was a bright light and the experience has felt like a big hug around us. I get a real buzz when I deliver the cakes because the gratitude and smiles I receive make me feel appreciated. I get so much joy from it; it’s very little effort on my part but so rewarding knowing each little bun is helping to raise funds.”
Sheila visits the oncology unit every three months for blood tests and her health status is currently positive: “I’m feeling well, and while my energy levels aren’t what they once were, I’m still able to do all the things I want to do. I’m so grateful to CancerCare and want to be able to help people battle against this horrid disease.”