I am one of the youngest to have this type of cancer.. I’ll make the most of what’s left
21-year-old went to doc with stomach pain and was told she had incurable disease
WHEN Leanne Hawkins went to see her doctor suffering from stomach pains and weight loss, she didn’t expect to be diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer. The 21-year-old’s world was turned upside down when she was told she had the disease in her stomach. Now family and friends have rallied round – raising £3000 in just 24 hours to help her “bucket list” of places she wants to see. Problems started in February when she complained of stomach pains that resulted in a number of trips to the hospital. Leanne said: “I began losing weight fast. Since February, I have lost about six stone. I was tested and the results kept coming back saying it was fatty tissue, so the thought of it being cancer never crossed my mind.
“When they found the lump to be cancerous, it was a huge shock. Doctors said it was aggressive and it had spread. I hadn’t prepared for it. I was devastated. Everyone was.”
Leanne, from Blantyre, Lanarkshire, has been receiving treatment at Glasgow’s Beatson Clinic. She is hoping to begin chemotherapy sessions to try to contain the tumour.
She said: “The doctor told me I was one of the youngest patients to have a cancer of this kind. It’s usually found in older patients”
A Just Giving page was set up by Leanne’s sister Laura-Jane with a target of £5000, so Leanne can tick things off her bucket list.
One of them is that she and her family can travel to Paris. Leanne went with her school, Calderside Academy, in first year then went again three years ago for her 18th birthday.
Laura-Jane said: “One of her favourite places to go is Paris, so as a family we’ve decided to take her back for a last enjoyable trip.”
If Leanne’s chemotherapy makes a difference, her family plan to travel to Paris next month.
Leanne added: “The support I have received has been incredible.” You can make a donation at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ leannehawkins