The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘I’m definitely not ready to die’
BURNTISLAND: Defiant shop owner ‘has loads of fight’
The owner of a popular Fife sweet shop has been given just a year to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer – having first been told she had a urinary infection.
But June George says she is determined to prove doctors wrong – and has vowed to keep smiling and fight with everything she has.
The 54-year-old, who runs Aye Candy sweet shop in Burntisland High Street, first noticed symptoms at the beginning of the first lockdown in March 2020.
She was told over the phone she had a urinary infection and was given antibiotics. It was not until August when she was admitted to hospital for a kidney stent that she was told she had stage 4 cervical cancer.
“One year isn’t enough for me, for everything I still have to do
Last week she heard she only has 12 to 17 months to live and faces 11-hour chemotherapy sessions beginning next week.
But a defiant June, who survived breast cancer in 2011, said: “One year isn’t enough for me, for everything I still have to do. I am determined to get longer than that.
“I am where I am and I’m giving it my best shot – I am definitely not ready to die and have loads of fight in me.
“I plan on being here for a lot longer than 12 months.”
When Fife sweet shop owner was given the gut-wrenching news she has only a year to live, she made up her mind not to give up.
Despite being devastated at the diagnosis of stage four cervical cancer, June George is determined to prove the doctors wrong and keep fighting.
This is the second time June, 54, will battle cancer, after she was initially diagnosed with a urine infection.
She has vowed to keep smiling and fight with everything she has.
She said: “I’ve way to much to live for – I am going to live longer than a year. One year isn’t enough for me, for everything I still have to do. I am determined to get longer than that.”
“I have my two children, and three grandchildren, Abie, 10, Jake, eight and Thea, two, who lives in London. The first thing I’m doing is going to visit her this week.
“I haven’t been able to go to see her because of my illness and the pandemic but I’m going now just in case I don’t get another chance.”
June, the owner of Aye Candy on Burntisland High Street, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.
Since her recovery she has kept busy not only with her sweetie shop but as the owner of a holiday home cleaning company in the East Neuk.
In March 2020, just as lockdown was announced, June began to notice symptoms that concerned her.
She said: “I started noticing that I was a bit incontinent and had a sore kidney.
“I got a phone call appointment with my doctor and was told I had a urine infection and got antibiotics.
“This went on until August last year when my doctor told me to get a smear test as it was overdue.
“I finally asked to speak to another doctor who sent me for an ultrasound. After that I got a CT scan then biopsies.
“I was then admitted into hospital to get a kidney stent to my bladder and was then told on the ward by a doctor that I had cancer.
“No one was allowed to be with me due to
Covid.”
After that June saw an oncologist at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, where she was told her cervical cancer had reached stage 4A, meaning it had spread.
“It was at this point I learned I had an eight centimetre tumour that was very close to my bowels and bladder.”
A treatment plan was created but coronavirus delays meant this could not begin until December 8.
She was given radiotherapy, followed by chemotherapy and at the end of that treatment she received three courses of internal radiotherapy .
Treatment ended in January of this year and when she went for her three-month scan in March she was told the tumour has shrunk three centimetres and the doctor was happy.
However, last month there was more devastating news for June following scans. She was told she had a three centimetre tumour on her liver, as well as cancer in her pelvis.
Last week she heard she only has 12 to 17 months to live and faces 11-hour chemotherapy sessions beginning next week.
Meantime friend Cristina Davies has begun fundraising to help June.
Initially the plan had been to raise enough to buy a good wig but almost £3,000 has already been raised. It is hoped this could be used to partially fund a private treatment trial if one becomes available. Donations can be made at uk.gofundme. com/f/june-george