Healthy mum by no means anticipated to seek out ‘tumour measurement of a rugby ball’ in her liver

Lin, now 55, by no means smoked, saved bodily match and would solely drink often; she even felt completely tremendous up till her cancer prognosis.

Attending a routine GP appointment relating to contraception, her physician grew involved when Lin’s blood pressure was excessive.

Wanting to analyze additional, Lin’s physician ordered urine and blood exams, in addition to a kidney scan, pondering the difficulty could possibly be associated to the organ.

“I had the scan just before Christmas, which showed an enlarged kidney, and the GP sent me straight to the hospital to see a consultant,” Lin advised Express.co.uk.

“He said it could be kidney cancer, which shocked me, as it was the first time the word had been mentioned.”

Lin shared the way it all felt like a “bit of a rollercoaster ride” from that time onwards.

“I needed more scans; I was told it was not kidney cancer but something to do with my adrenal glands.

“I noticed completely different specialists and was finally referred to Kings College Hospital London.”

Lin was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) – a rare type of cancer that forms in glandular tissues.

“The tumour was doubling in measurement each 30 days and had grown into my liver,” Lin revealed.

“I used to be advised a liver transplant surgeon must get entangled in an operation and I would wish a mattress within the liver transplant unit.”

In February 2005, Lin had an eight-hour operation where a “tumour the scale of a rugby ball was eliminated” alongside her adrenal gland and two-thirds of her liver.

“My kids had been solely 5 and three on the time,” the mother-of-two shared.

After a six-month recovery period, Lin was free from cancer, but the disease later returned.

In December 2018, Lin experienced chest pain, which she put down to heartburn.

“It was solely once I wakened coughing up blood one morning that I realised this was one thing extra severe and instantly went to A&E,” Lin revealed.

“Initially, the docs didn’t suppose this might probably be linked to the ACC [the original tumour], however additional evaluation after surgical procedure confirmed that it was.”

Lin is now “on a cocktail of medicines”, but is determined to live a “great life crammed with love and laughter”.

“While I’ll tire extra shortly and don’t do fairly as a lot as I used to, I’ve a full high quality of life, which I embrace,” Lin shared.

“I would like as many individuals as potential to pay attention to the wonderful work carried out by Cancer Research UK.

“I am convinced that scientists and researchers will eventually find a cure for this terrible disease.

“Without the event of the medicines and coverings accessible at this time, my life may have been very completely different.”