What cancer were you diagnosed with?

Thymoma cancer

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What age were you diagnosed?

35

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What has helped you to thrive?

There is no way I’d have got through the last 10 months without the support of my amazing family and friends. Telling my children was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do and I thank god for my wonderful husband and parents who have helped me thrive. I have stayed positive throughout this journey, even when I felt like crumbling. Having a positive mindset and believing I could get through has been key for me. 

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Lianne's Story

On 11th April 2019, I made an appointment with my GP as I’d been short of breathe for a couple of weeks. I’m asthmatic so I thought I might need to change my inhalers. The nurse I saw couldn’t hear any airflow on my right side and thought I had pneumonia so sent me straight to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester. After lots of tests and X-rays, nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to be told....You have Thymoma. It’s cancer. 

I was 35 with 2 young children and I’d never heard of it! Thymoma is cancer of the thymus gland in the middle of the chest. My right lung was full of fluid and once that was drained I was told it had spread to my heart and diaphragm. I was inoperable and incurable. The plan was chemo first to see if it would shrink the tumours enough for surgery and thankfully, although the shrinkage was minimal, my amazing surgeon thought he could operate. I had surgery on 10th October 2019. It was very high-risk surgery but I was so grateful for the chance. 

My thymus was removed along with my right lung, lining of my heart and half my diaphragm. It was a success! I spent 4 days in intensive care and 2 weeks on the ward recovering then weeks of recovery at home. Although all the cancer was removed, I’m now having radiotherapy to target the area where it’s at highest risk of returning.