Rare cancer trio praise care from South Yorkshire medics

Two Doncaster women have paid tribute to the South Yorkshire medics who treated them for a rare form of cancer.
Cancer patients Tania and Lindsey with nurse Kam SinghCancer patients Tania and Lindsey with nurse Kam Singh
Cancer patients Tania and Lindsey with nurse Kam Singh

They and a third woman each received a diagnosis of ovarian germ cell cancer this year, with symptoms that could easily have been missed without vigorous tests.

Mum-of-two Tania Kemble-Smith, aged 38, from Doncaster, was diagnosed in July after a physio session following a car accident revealed a hard swelling in her lower abdomen.

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She is on her final cycle of intense chemotherapy treatment at the Weston Park Hopsital in Shefield, and will undergo surgery later this year.

She said: “The team at Weston Park Hospital have been absolutely brilliant.”

Lindsey Holland from Newark was diagnosed in May, and Caitilin Carroll, 18, from Conisbrough, is awaiting her eight-week follow up appointment.

She said that despite initial shock over her diagnosis, she had the best experience possible thanks to care at Weston Park.

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Ovarian germ cell cancer occurs when cells which develop into sperm and eggs in the ovaries mutate and form cancerous tumours.

This very rare cancer occurs mostly in young women, but can affect women in their 60s.

Symptoms can include abdominal pain, a feeling of fullness, or abdominal swelling with an increased need to pass urine.

Ovarian germ cell cancer cells respond very well to treatment, but this can affect women’s chances of conceiving, depending on their surgery and how many ovaries, if any, need to be removed.

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A-Level student Caitilin said: “It was so helpful to be able to talk to someone going through the same thing.

“Tania and I have laughed and cried together but neither of us has had to face our diagnosis alone.”

Over 18,000 patients are currently under the care of WestonPark Hospital.

Visit www.wphcc.org for more information about the work of its charity and how to help.