Mum: I put my treatment for cancer on hold to have children
AMOTHER-OF-TWO has described her battle to have children while having life-saving treatment for cancer.
Llinos Griffin-Williams, originally from Flintshire but now living in the Vale of Glamorgan, was just 16 when she found out she had a rare form of the disease.
It would change her life. “They thought I had glandular fever at the time for ages,” she said. “I had small lumps. I went to the GP several times but six months later, it was still there. They then did a blood test and told me I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“He didn’t use the word cancer and so when he did, we didn’t expect it, not at the age of 16 when I was doing hockey and talking about boys.
“I didn’t hear after that – there was white noise. It was a massive shock for everybody.
“I was living in Wrexham at the time but had to travel to Manchester for radiotherapy. Nowhere in north Wales offered it. I then did chemotherapy during my A-levels. It was really s*** and I failed most of them. But I was so determined not to be behind. They tried to get me to defer. But I redid them and got two As and one B.
“When you’re so focused on your sense of self and looks and boys, it’s really hard. The whole loss of identity, that can be really hard.
“Cancer is never pleasant, but it brought a special set of circumstances when you’re a teenager.”
Llinos had treatment and was given the all-clear aged around 18.
But, eight years later, despite having big plans for her future, Llinos was to receive another hammer-blow.
“My career was about to start and I was 24 and I thought it’s come back,” she said.
“You know your body better than anybody. I just had this sense. But none of my blood work showed anything. I kept going back to the GP, but I didn’t have any syptoms.
“I then saw a different GP and I begged him to refer me. I went to the Royal Glamorgan and they scanned me and I had an amazing doctor. But the scan results were minimal. I was sent for a biopsy anyway to be on the safe side, but it came back clear.
“But I was still adamant, so I went for another biopsy. It showed the cancer had come back. When I was 16, I had stage two. When it came back, it was stage four – in my groin, neck and chest. There were cells all over the place.
“I went to the Heath [University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff] and they were amazing. I had six months of chemotherapy every other week. My hair fell out after four days.”
But, Llinos discovered, there were other considerations.
“They said, ‘there is a likelihood it will make you infertile, do you want to have your eggs stored?’, she said. “I just thought I’m 24, if I don’t keep my eggs I might not have kids.
“I had been with my thenboyfriend Peter for a year. Initially it wasn’t an awkward conversation because they said you can just store your eggs.
“Then the Welsh Government changed its policy and no longer allowed women to store eggs, but embryos.
“Then we had the awkward conversation. We’d been going out for a year and had to see if we were going to have a baby.
“It was a whole heap of conversations which are the last thing you want to be talking about when you’re going through cancer.
“You’re in the worst situation you can imagine and it just seemed very unfair. You’re flabagasted that
a policy decides that.” Llinos decided to take the offer, and her eggs were harvested.
Then she completed her treatment – but not without complications.
“I had six months of chemotherapy, but there were real low moments,” she said. “The chemotherapy was so powerful it burnt my veins. It felt like someone had thrown a pan of hot water on me. I had a hickman line into my heart but that became infected. I ended up in special cancer care at the Heath.
“Everything felt so far away at that point. But I had the treatment and had the allclear again.”
Now, 10 years later aged 35, Llinos hasn’t had a relapse – and is married with two children, four-yearold Ani and ninemonth-old Gwenna.
“We got married and tried for a baby and got pregnant after a month.
“I’ve decided to donate my eggs to other women and for research. I wouldn’t have hesitated to take it in my situation.
“With cancer, you don’t have any control. Obviously it’s like a devil on my shoulder that could come back, but I think it’s made me value my friends and family and how precious life is.
“It’s made me determined to get things done and be kind to people.
“Tragedy shapes you, but it shouldn’t define you.”
Now Llinos is holding a festival to celebrate.
On August 25 from 1pm, Oakfest will take place in Llanmaes village in the Vale of Glamorgan to raise money for cancer charities. It will have musicians, street food, yoga and massages, face-painting and a bar for the adults.
But for Llinos, it’s a celebration of life.
“I lost a good friend of mine last year and it made me realise you should celebrate life,” she said. “It’s important to stop and take stock and thank the people who have supported me along the way and the NHS – they saved my life twice.”
■ Llinos would like to thank family, friends and sponsors for making the event happen, as well as lead sponsor Alun Griffiths Construction.
■ For more information, visit the social media sites here: Instagram: @oakfest_1
■ Twitter: @oakfest1
■ Facebook: Oakfest