Woman, 55, given 12 months to live after stubbing toe revealed to be ‘silent killer’

A WOMAN was given 12 months to live just weeks after breaking her toe.

Sharon Daley was about to fly to Tenerife, Spain, with her sister when she hit her foot on her bed.

Despite the pain, she went on vacation and hobbled around for a week in the sun.

When Sharon returned, she went to the emergency room, where tests revealed that her blood levels were extremely low.

Two weeks later, the 55-year-old was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer.

Initially, doctors hoped they could treat the disease with surgery.

But on May 17, Sharon received the terrible news that the disease was incurable.

With chemotherapy, he has 12 months to live, and without chemotherapy, only three to six months.

Sharon, who chose to try to prolong her life as long as possible, said: “I was there with my sister and we were amazed.”

Looking back, the former charity sector worker from Brighton, East Sussex, believes her symptoms started in February – but she didn’t think much of it at the time.

“I felt quite nauseous, which I don’t usually suffer from, and I had a bit of a stomach ache, but I didn’t pay much attention to it either,” she said.

In March, she was preparing to go to the Canary Islands for seven days when she stubbed her toe on her bed.

Having previously injured him and knowing that “few doctors could do”, she did not have him examined, hoping the pain would lessen while she was gone.

Unfortunately, Sharon spent the week “limping in sneakers”.

When she returned, she still couldn’t walk, so she went to the hospital on Good Friday to confirm that she hadn’t broken a bone in her foot.

“While I was there, I mentioned that I was short of breath, so they did some blood work and x-rays,” she said.

“They found that my blood levels had dropped quite significantly, so I had to have two transfusions, but I didn’t really understand what was happening.”

Sharon had a follow-up appointment the following week and was admitted to a ward.

Further tests revealed she had a stomach ulcer that was bleeding and could be malignant.

His diagnosis of stomach cancer was confirmed two weeks later.

I probably wasn’t the healthiest person in the world, but I wasn’t sick – at least I didn’t think so.

Sharon Daley

“I asked myself, ‘How did this happen and why?’” Sharon said.

“I had been feeling a bit tired for a while, but I put that down to my mental health problem.

“I get my mammograms and I do my bowel samples, so I’m actively being checked for cancer, but stomach cancer is just not something they screen for.

“I probably wasn’t the healthiest person in the world, but I wasn’t sick – at least I didn’t think so.”

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

At the time, she was told her condition was curable with an operation to remove part of her stomach and pancreas, but on May 1, following a laparoscopy, she discovered that was not the case. case.

Then her oncologist dealt her the most brutal blow: Sharon had 12 months to live with chemotherapy, and three to six without.

“It was hard to tell my 21-year-old niece; we are very close,” she said.

The aunt is still waiting for a date to start chemotherapy, but for now she is being supported by Macmillan.

“They were fantastic and really helped me,” she said.

To thank you, Sharon is raising funds for the association via GoFundMe.

She has already been “overwhelmed” by the response.

“A huge thank you to everyone for your donations,” she said.

“Having worked in the charity sector, I know that, particularly in the current climate, fundraising is a problem.

“But Macmillan’s work has really helped our lives, even during this short difficult time, so it means a lot.”

Sharon wants to spend the rest of her life, as long as she has left, surrounded by her loved ones.

“I want to spend as much time with her and my sister, that’s the most important thing to me,” she said.

The avid traveler also hopes to check a few items off her bucket list before the end of the year.

“I had to forget some of the things I wanted to do, like going to India, because I realized I won’t be able to travel that far, so everything outside of Europe is now gone” , Sharon said. .

“But I really hope to be able to arrange a visit to Portofino in Italy, as well as a night on the Orient Express.

“I’m a ridiculous fan of The Sound of Music so I’d also love to go to Salzburg in Austria.

“Myself and a friend have said for years we would, so I’m hoping to speed up the process. I know all the words.”