A woman has tragically been told she has months left to live, after doctors misdiagnosed her symptoms, as the family have set up a GoFindMe page to help find alternative treatments.
Alex Jamieson, 39, was informed by medics in June 2021 that she had bowel cancer, revealing that her world came crashing down when she received the news.
Despite feeling discomfort in her abdomen for years, doctors were unable to pinpoint the cause of her suffering and initially diagnosed her with Crohn's disease.
It was only after Alex was rushed in for an emergency operation after experiencing severe pain that surgeons discovered the truth, report Manchester Evening News.
As they removed parts of her bowel, they found a tumour, with Alex saying that "It was a huge shock.
“They took us into a room and I assumed they were going to tell me I could go home as I’d been there a few weeks recovering.
“They told me it was bowel cancer. There’s no family history of bowel cancer so it was a massive shock. And at 37, I never thought it would be that.”
Although the tumour was advanced, surgeons managed to successfully remove the cancer in Alex's body.
However, the primary school head teacher was told she would need to have chemotherapy for six months to ensure no cancer remained.
Tragically, the worst was yet to come for the mother from Stockport, as five months into the treatment, scans showed that the cancer had made a return.
This time, it had spread to nearby organs and tissues, which meant that another surgery was needed.
In March this year, the mum-of-two had another major operation - which was successful - and she was told that she could go and enjoy her life.
She was informed by medics that she would only need to be assessed every six months to ensure that the cancer had not come back.
And over the next six months, the family - including Alex’s husband Paul, 41, and two daughters Annabel, aged seven and Imogen, aged five - did just that, and returned to normal life and took a dream trip to Mexico.
But tragically, in September, the family received the news they had been dreading.
Alex’s first surveillance scan showed the cancer was back, now in four places in her pelvis.
And this time, medics do not believe the cancer is curable.
Even with chemotherapy treatment, doctors have predicted that the 39-year-old only has 14 months to live.
Speaking about the heartbreaking news, Alex said: “I can’t explain how devastating it is.
“Everyone has a death, haven’t they? You just don’t know when it is.
“But when you’re told, you automatically go, ‘I have this many birthdays left, this many Christmases,’ you can’t help but think in those time scales."
She continued to say: “I can’t imagine not being here for the girls. I want to be here for as long as I can to see them reach milestones, to be there with them and celebrating with them.
“My daughter is in year three and I want to see her leave infant school. I want to see her not turn eight, but nine and 10 too. I can’t get my head around the fact I’m not going to be here for them.
“My husband is so upset. We were the best team together, particularly with the children. The idea it’s just going to be him as a single parent is really tough.
“He’s incredibly strong and he’s supported me through so much. I know, ultimately, that it’s him who is left behind and will have to do everything. I don’t want to leave him on his own.”
Although the family are planning to get Alex started on a three-month NHS chemotherapy plan straight away, they are hoping to look at other treatments which may increase Alex’s chance of survival.
They have set up a GoFundMe appeal in the hopes of raising money for alternative targeted treatments available at The Christie and clinical trials.
It’s hoped the cash will also go towards helping the family create incredible memories during the time Alex has left, with the mum saying: “We’re going to Lapland in December.
“We’re just going to try and make every day the best we can and make as many memories as we can.”
Any remaining money will help support other families who find themselves in a similar situation as them.
