What happened, in summary

Lesley received a double diagnosis of cervical and colorectal cancer in June 2024. Cervical cancer was found after a hysterectomy, and a subsequent CT scan identified bowel cancer. The two diagnoses came as a shock because she had felt well and healthy beforehand.

For the colorectal cancer, Lesley began a planned six-month chemotherapy course using both intravenous and oral treatment. The first part of treatment was especially difficult. Hand-foot syndrome made walking and touching objects painful, and she also experienced peripheral neuropathy and fatigue. Heat packs and heated blankets helped her cope with some of the discomfort.

Cancer treatment forced Lesley to stop working temporarily and affected her day-to-day independence. Fear of dying and leaving her family was one of her biggest emotional challenges, so she paid for mental-health wellbeing classes and relied on family and friends for support. She remained on chemotherapy and tried to look ahead to family time and holidays after treatment.