A young mother, diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer, has been told she has only months to live after discovering a lump just after the birth of her daughter.
Nikita Jones, 22, from Port Talbot, first noticed a lump between her breasts in the summer of 2023, when her newborn daughter, Vienna, was just two months old.
Initially treated as an abscess, the lump did not go away with antibiotics, prompting a referral to the breast clinic.
In August 2023, Nikita received devastating news: she had been diagnosed with a rare form of soft tissue cancer called sarcoma.
Doctors informed him that he was one of only two people in the UK with this particular condition.
Nikita Jones, 22, from Port Talbot, first noticed a lump between her breasts in the summer of 2023, when her newborn daughter, Vienna, was just two months old.
talking to wales online For her part, Nikita’s mother, Vicki Hughes, described the diagnosis as the beginning of a “hell year.”
Despite the initial shock, Nikita underwent a series of intense treatments to combat the disease.
After waiting for titanium ribs to be created to assist in the delicate surgery, Nikita underwent a double mastectomy and had part of her chest plate removed in October 2023.
Doctors were able to preserve her ribs and Nikita was sent to London to receive six weeks of proton beam therapy. However, his mother said that this treatment left him with severe burns.
In March 2024, Nikita was told she was cancer-free, but her relief was short-lived.
In the following months, he began to experience pain and swelling in his legs, along with a persistent cough and repeated respiratory infections.
A shadow on his lung, which doctors initially attributed to inflammation caused by the treatment, necessitated further testing.
When Nikita underwent a CT scan, the results were devastating. The cancer had returned to his lungs and doctors informed him there was nothing more they could do.
Pictured: Nikita with her mother Vicki Hughes, her father David Hughes, her partner Shaun Williams and her daughter Vienna.
With chemotherapy, Nikita was given about 16 months to live; Without treatment, doctors said he only had six months left.
Before hearing the earth-shattering news, Nikita had moved into her first home with her daughter and boyfriend Shaun Williams in hopes of a fresh start.
Vicki Hughes expressed the family’s grief, saying: ‘There are just no words. I am speechless.’
In response to her diagnosis, Nikita planned a ‘fuck cancer’ party in October, hoping to create lasting memories with her friends and family.
Despite the devastating news, Vicki says Nikita has the support of “a whole village” of loved ones, including her grandmother, Catherine, and her two sisters, Jordanna and Tanisha.
Nikita’s friend Demi Williams launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Nikita’s trip and help her make lasting memories in Vienna.
As Nikita faces the reality of her prognosis, the family is determined to make the most of the time they have left.
They are especially focused on ensuring that Nikita can create as many memories as possible with her young daughter.
Nikita’s friend Demi Williams launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Nikita’s trip and help her make lasting memories in Vienna. you can donate here.
In just two weeks, the fundraiser has raised more than £7,000, and Demi wrote on the page in response to the donations: “Thank you so much to everyone who has donated and supported Kita’s journey so far.”
“Your generosity means a lot and is helping Kita create lasting memories with her daughter Vienna.”