The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Cancer patient praises latest Covid treatment
AFife mum with leukaemia who received groundbreaking Covid treatment is encouraging others to get it if they are eligible.
Lynn Torrance, 59, from Buckhaven, contracted the virus earlier this month.
She was understandably worried about how the virus would affect her, as she is living with cancer.
But Ms Torrance found out she was eligible for new antibody treatment available to some locals who had contracted Covid.
She said it gave her weakened immune system the fighting chance needed to beat Covid, and was one of the first to receive the new treatment.
Clinicians assess whether patients get the treatment by infusion into a vein or by taking tablets in hospital.
Ms Torrance was diagnosed and treated within the same week at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
She received the new antiviral infusion and said it had given her, and others who are termed as clinically vulnerable, a reason to be optimistic.
She has had a run of bad health over recent years, being diagnosed with leukaemia last January after suffering a stroke five years ago.
It left her with weakness on her right side and meant she had to take retirement from her role with Fife Council on medical grounds.
She said: “When I was diagnosed with cancer I was devastated, as I’m still trying to come to terms with having had the stroke.
“I thought ‘I’m still here I just need to get on with it’.”
After her own diagnosis, Ms Torrance’s mum had a stroke in 2021 in what she described as “a horrible year”.
She had good reason to think the bad luck was continuing when she woke up with a severe headache on Wednesday January 3.
She added: “I didn’t feel like myself, I just wasn’t feeling well, so I did a lateral flow test which came back positive.”
Results of a PCR test the next day confirmed she had Covid.
She said: “I had developed bad symptoms by then – I still had headaches, no energy, a cough and was struggling with my breathing.
“I thought to myself ‘I hope I don’t get it really badly’, but because I’ve got cancer I know my immune system is lower than everyone else’s.”
Ms Torrance got a letter the next day which brought good news and proved to make a huge difference in her fight against Covid.
People more at risk from the virus have been sent letters to say they could be eligible for the new treatments, with Fife one of the first to offer them in a specially-opened ward at Victoria Hospital.
NHS Tayside has confirmed 100 patients in the area have now received the drugs also.
Ms Torrance added: “I phoned the number in the letter to be assessed and was asked questions about my symptoms.
“When it was established I qualified, they were back in touch within half an hour and was given an appointment the next day.
“It made me feel instantly relieved.”
She said: “I was taken to a room with comfy chairs and it was all explained to me really well.
“It takes half an hour to get into your system through an infusion. Your blood pressure is taken every 15 minutes.
“After the treatment, you’re monitored for an hour. Once that was done, I was free to go home.
“I was told it takes about 24 to 36 hours to get into your system properly and by the Saturday afternoon, I was feeling much better.
“I’d say to anyone who is eligible to go for it – it’s brilliant there’s a drug available now for people whose immune systems are affected.
“The way I see it, that’s relieving a burden on the NHS. They’re worth their weight in gold and don’t get enough credit.”