Laura’s great battle
Fight of her life after health blows on two fronts
A TOWNSVILLE woman who has been dealt two “shattering” health blows back to back is ready for the fight of her life, and has urged other women to stay vigilant.
Laura Law began suffering the crippling effects of endometriosis just over two years ago, a moment which shook her world. “After first being diagnosed, I chose to continue to live with the pain,” Ms Law said.
“After a full year of living with the unbearable pain and being unable to keep up with my daily life, I decided it was time to face my illness.
“February of this year, I was put in touch with an amazing doctor who specialises in women’s health. After various scans and X-rays the diagnosis confirmed that I had stage 4 endometriosis.”
Ms Law said she had seen numerous specialists on her path to addressing the endometriosis and was booked in for an operation to remove a section of her bowel and a hysterectomy (removal of her uterus and tubes) on October 20.
“The diagnosis shattered my life and I had to come to terms with at the age of 41, giving up the chance to be a mum,” she said. “I had thought of having children but like a lot of women you always feel there is more time. For me this surgery made it so very final with no choices left to make.
“In about September of this year I made my peace with the diagnosis and had come to terms with the situation.”
Little did Ms Law know her life was about to be turned upside down a second time. “Whilst drying just after a shower, I felt a pain in my left breast,” she said.
“I said to my fiance ‘I can feel a lump and it’s actually really quite sore.’
“Being 41 and no breast cancer in the family I didn’t prioritise going to get it checked. I thought it would be fine and it was just a cyst.
“I left it for a couple of weeks until one day I mentioned it on the phone to my friend, the response was ‘you need to get this checked out immediately’.”
Ms Law said the doctor she saw skipped normal protocol and sent her straight for a biopsy, a move which “saved my life”.
“With the cancer I have it does not show up in a mammogram or an ultrasound, it only shows up in a biopsy. It was stage two breast cancer. To find out that news over the phone at 5pm on a Monday night, with no one around me, completely shattered me.
“I was completely numb, I couldn’t comprehend it because everyone was telling me in the lead up to getting the results it would be fine.
“It made it harder to come to terms with it.”
The cancer is being sped up by the endometriosis, meaning every decision is vital.
It’s why Ms Law made a huge decision with surgery.
“I’m undergoing three months of chemotherapy and then having a mastectomy. I told them just to give me a double-mastectomy and take both.”
The cancer is an oestrogen-based hormonal cancer which also fuels and advances the stages of the endometriosis, meaning every decision is vital.
“I am currently having three months of chemotherapy. I will then be flown to Brisbane to have a double mastectomy, a reconstruction (using my own stomach fat), a hysterectomy followed by a bowel operation.”
A Gofundme appeal has been established to help support Ms Law through this difficult period. Money will go towards costs relating to Ms Law’s treatment and surgeries, with all leftover money to go towards breast cancer awareness.
Ms Law has encouraged all women to check for any sore lumps regularly, to make sure all lumps get a biopsy, and most importantly do not wait until they’re 50 to get a mammogram to give them the best chance against breast cancer.