A mother admits she couldn't stop herself screaming when her daughter, 28, told her what doctors had diagnosed. Jess Woods, from Warrington, first raised health concerns six years ago after being in significant pain.
The woman revealed she was suffering from abdominal pain, bladder and bowel problems with medical professionals theorising that she had gallstones, but mum Paula, 52, suspected it could be polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), reports the Liverpool Echo.
It was only when Jess was taken to Royal Liverpool Hospital in February for a gall bladder removal surgery that doctors discovered the true source of her pain: grade 3 ovarian cancer.
The mother revealed her shock when her daughter gave her the news and said everyone in her close vicinity turned and looked at her as she screamed on the phone.
Paula told the Echo: "Jess was constantly going to the doctors and it got to the point where she felt like everything was in her head and she was being over-dramatic. She even ended up in A&E a couple of times because she was in that much agony. She was having pains in her abdomen and it was going round her back.
"It was put down to gallstones and problems with her gallbladder. But when it came down to the surgery, they found her gallbladder was fine. It was a low-grade, slow-growing cancer.
"It hit us like a sledgehammer. She rang me crying, and when I saw her and she said she had cancer, I just screamed. Everyone stopped in their tracks. Everyone turned and looked at me."
Jess has undergone her first round of chemotherapy at Halton General Hospital this month. She was given the tragic news her condition will never be cured. She can no longer work and needs the assistance of an electric scooter.
Paula added: "Jess doesn't want to worry us. As a mother, you just want to throw your arms around her and say it's going to be alright - but we know it's never going to be gone. It's treatable, but not curable. It's gone too far. It's gone under the liver, by her bowel, and right across her abdomen. It's like a moss that slowly grows.
"She has asked what time she's got left, and they can't tell her. One of the things they said to me is that they've been treating some patients for 30 to 40 years, so it's uncertain. I try to put it to the back of my mind as if it's not happening, but it is happening. It's real.
"These days, Jess can't walk very far because of the pain. She's trying not to let it get her down. She even wanted to go straight back to work after chemo, but she's now been told she's too ill to work. The main thing that's getting to her is that she can't do much. She's always been outgoing, never one to sit still.
"Jess is has always been a go-getter, very determined to achieve. She has a strong personality. She has a very caring nature, just vibrant. She has a zest for life. That's what's worrying her. She's thinking now 'what life have I got left?'. She's always wanted to travel, and to her, it's all being cut short."
Jess' friend has started a fundraiser to support her family while she undergoes treatment. Paula is urging other young women not to shy away from speaking their mind if they feel their health issues are causing concern.
She added: "Do not give in. Do not let yourself think it's all in your head, that you're being over-dramatic. You've got to keep fighting because there's too many cases of people being diagnosed too late.
"I'm more angry at myself now because I was one of those people who thought she was being overly anxious - and now she's been diagnosed with cancer that's spread through her body."
She added: "We are trying to remain optimistic. The oncologist said there's hope, but at the end of the day we're all different. Jess seems to be getting better as the days go on, but every time she goes for treatment it knocks her back down again. But we're trying to stay positive. It's all we've got."
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