A single mother who was diagnosed with two rare cancers just six weeks apart had to have six organs removed to save her life.
Hayley Shaw, 44, previously led an active lifestyle, but pelvic pain and heavy periods led to the discovery of two cancerous uterine polyps in June 2023.
Hayley’s world changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer that usually affects women over 70.
But just six weeks later, Hayley was dealt another devastating blow when she was told she had developed leukaemia in her bones and blood cells.
The mother of one was forced to undergo a hysterectomy to remove cancer from her uterus after already enduring a round of chemotherapy to fight her leukaemia.
Single mum Hayley Shaw, 44, was diagnosed with two rare cancers just six weeks apart
Hayley was diagnosed with a rare form of womb cancer in June last year.
Hayley was dealt another devastating blow just six weeks later when she was told she had developed leukaemia in her bones and blood cells.
Following her first cancer diagnosis, Hayley was told she would have an induced menopause and need a hysterectomy, which would prevent her from having any more children.
Following her hysterectomy, Hayley, a former image consultant, returned home for a few weeks only to start feeling unwell again.
She was admitted to a hematologist who found abnormal lymphocytes in her blood and diagnosed her in August 2023 with “hairy cell leukemia,” named for the hair-like growths on the surface of the cells.
It was confirmed that he had 91 percent leukemia cells in his bone marrow and 69 percent in his blood.
Still having processed her first diagnosis, Hayley described the second, which came just six weeks later, as something that “didn’t feel real.”
Hayley, who has an 11-year-old son named Lorenzo, had a round of chemotherapy in November and will need another biopsy to establish the growth of the cells and whether she needs more chemotherapy.
Because of her uterine cancer, Hayley needs regular checks of her bladder every six months to see if the polyps return.
Following her first cancer diagnosis, Hayley was told she would have an induced menopause and need a hysterectomy, which would prevent her from having any more children.
Hayley also received a round of chemotherapy in November to combat her leukemia.
Hayley’s total hysterectomy meant her entire uterus, cervix, both ovaries and both fallopian tubes were removed.
Mum-of-one Hayley, from Chafford Hundrend, Essex, said: ‘I was previously a very active and fit person working in an image consultancy and this has completely affected everything.
‘It was the most traumatic moment I have ever experienced in my entire life.
‘My son has also had to live through this with me; it has affected him too.
“I hadn’t even processed the first one when I got the second diagnosis. It didn’t feel real to me.”
After her first diagnosis, Hayley was told her condition would lead to early menopause.
She said: ‘It’s been very hard. It hits you hard with the brain fog, the exhaustion, the sleepless nights.
‘Cancer is usually diagnosed in people over 70 years of age; it is quite rare.
‘I had a lot of pelvic pain and very heavy periods.
“The ultrasound detected two polyps that I was initially told were benign. It turned out they were uterine cancer.”
Just weeks after her operation, Hayley was left reeling from her second devastating piece of news. She said: “About four weeks after the hysterectomy, I made an appointment with a haematologist – I knew something wasn’t right.
Hayley’s total hysterectomy meant her entire uterus, cervix, both ovaries and both fallopian tubes were removed.
Hayley also needs regular checks of her bladder every six months to see if the polyps in her uterus return.
“He said I had abnormal lymphocytes in my blood. He did another blood test and it turned out to be another very rare type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
“I was diagnosed with two rare cancers in six weeks. It was difficult.”
Throughout her ordeal, Hayley had to deal with being a single mother and cancer discrimination.
She added: “It’s a very important thing to think about. My son was 10 years old when I got the diagnosis.”
‘I tried to hide a lot of things from him at first, but he found out and was quite traumatised by it.
“When I was first diagnosed I had no idea about it. I have received so much support from people all over the world who have had the same disease.
‘I felt like I experienced cancer discrimination and the ghosting effect of cancer, which I experienced from some friends that I considered very good friends.
“People just weren’t there for me.”
Hayley’s future treatment will vary depending on how the cancer reacts to what has been done so far.
She said: ‘I’ll have another biopsy to confirm whether the chemotherapy has been successful.
‘With this type of leukemia, more chemotherapy is needed at some point, it just depends on when.
‘If there are no signs of leukaemia cells in my blood or bone marrow, I will have another biopsy in six months.
‘If the leukemia cells start to appear again, then I will have the next round of chemotherapy.
‘This particular type of leukaemia can be treated, but never cured. It’s something I have to live with.
To mark one year since her first diagnosis, Hayley took to the O2 on June 17 this year to raise money for the charity Leukaemia Care.
Hayley is pictured at the top of the O2 after her climb. The single mum revealed she had caught a virus the week before but still managed to pull off the incredible feat.
‘As for uterine cancer, it could still come back even though I had six organs removed in total.
‘I still have to have check-ups every four to six months because it can affect the bladder again.
“From November until now I have had to go for check-ups for both diseases quite regularly, sometimes three or four times a week. It was really exhausting.”
Hayley’s message to others is simply to talk to people who have been through similar experiences.
“When I was first diagnosed with this, I was very worried because I hadn’t heard of it,” she said.
‘I found a lot of comfort in these people because they had dealt with this for so long.
“They would become experts at it to the point of knowing more than some doctors.”
To mark one year since her first diagnosis, Hayley took to the O2 on June 17 this year to raise money for the charity Leukaemia Care.
She said: “It was really cool, but difficult. I got sick with a virus the week before, so on the day of the climb I had a fever and bone pain, but I still managed to do it!”
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