A mum is sharing her harrowing ordeal after initially thinking she was going through the menopause – but it was actually incurable cancer and now she only has a few years left.
Katy Stephenson was left petrified when her stomach started to intensely bloat, coupled with “excruciating” pain, whenever eating.
She spoke with her doctor, who said it was all due to the menopause.
But then, the situation became so unbearable that the mum was rushed into hospital.
The 50-year-old was diagnosed with appendicitis, which required surgery, though this only uncovered the real nightmare – incurable ovarian cancer.
Now, she’s sharing her harrowing ordeal to raise awareness, especially as it’s estimated she only had a few years left to live.
“I was completely stunned when they told me; my whole body went cold,” the estate agent, from Bury St Edmunds, told Need To Know.
“My first thought was my two teenage kids – how would I tell them that I’m going to die?
“I couldn’t bear the thought of them growing up without me.
“My whole world fell apart within seconds.
“Just a few months before, I thought it was simply the menopause easing its way in.
“And then, suddenly, I was on death row.”
Katy’s condition started to deteriorate six months after initially seeing the doctor.
To find out the cause, she went through various blood tests, an ultrasound and a CT scan.
At this point, there were some abnormal cells showing up on her ovaries and Fallopian tubes, where she was told it was likely cancer.
Following a biopsy, though, that’s when the penny dropped.
As the cancer had been caught early, she was able to start treatment in February 2021, including five months of chemotherapy.
Katy also had to go through a full hysterectomy, where her body was plunged into early menopause.
She said: “I knew it had to be done to save my life, so there was no question as to whether I was going to go through with it or not.
“But I did feel like a piece of me was being taken away far too soon.
“Everything then changed and I barely felt like me at all.
“I had hot flushes, insomnia and brain fog to contend with – all while going through chemotherapy.
“And there was no guarantee this would work.”
Luckily, despite the mental toll of no longer recognising herself in the mirror, she was then given the all-clear in June 2021.
Overjoyed, she was ready to finally move on with life and look toward the future with her family, including husband Patrick, 57, and their two kids, Jack, 19, and Tilly, 16.
But then, in September 2022, it had returned – this time with a vengeance – as it was no longer curable.
She said: “I remember breaking down in tears to my husband, Patrick, telling him the cancer was now life limiting.
“That meant only a few more years of being a wife, mother and human experiencing the gift of life.
“It was so cruel.
“Once again, everything had been taken away from me in a second.”
Since then, she’s undergone extensive abdominal cavity surgery, more chemotherapy and been placed on maintenance drugs to prevent the growth of cancer.
It’s hoped this will give her more time – but currently, it’s unclear how much, if any.
Statistically, she says this could be as little as 18 months.
Katy is working with The Lady Garden Foundation, a charity raising awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms, to help share her story and help others.
Now, she’s taking each day as it comes and has learned to appreciate the smaller things in life.
She added: “I obviously have ups and downs – and at times struggle with the reality of my situation – but I’ve got to find the positives.
“I’m getting to share my story and hopefully it’ll help at least one person catch this disease before it’s too late.
“I recently celebrated my 50th birthday, 20th wedding anniversary and have enjoyed three holidays this year.
“Right now, my family is my priority and spending as much time with them as possible is my focus.
“We’re all benefitting from therapy to come to terms with this new normal.
“And while I’ve accepted I have incurable cancer, with only limited time left, I’m not going to let that define me.
“There is no guarantee when any of our last days on Earth will be – so for now, I’m not dying with cancer, I’m simply living with it.”
