Cancer-stricken mother, 33, who thought she was pregnant dies weeks after doctors discovered her bloating and vomiting was stage-four tumour

  • Fiona Gallacher thought she was pregnant after two months of stomach ache
  • READ MORE: I’m the first person in the WORLD to be diagnosed with my cancer

A young mother has died from cancer just weeks after mistakenly believing she was pregnant.

Fiona Gallacher, from Holytown in North Lanarkshire, suffered from severe stomach ache, bloating and vomiting for two months.

After a pregnancy test came back negative in January, the 33-year-old visited A&E.

Test results days later revealed she was suffering with stage-four adenocarcinoma, an aggressive cancer of the glands that secrete mucus.

Doctors originally gave her between six months and a year to live when Ms Gallacher was diagnosed in January.

cancer-stricken mother, 33, who thought she was pregnant dies weeks after doctors discovered her bloating and vomiting was stage-four tumour

Fiona Gallacher, from Holytown in North Lanarkshire, suffered from severe stomach ache, bloating and vomiting for two months. After a pregnancy test came back negative in January, the 33-year-old visited A&E

cancer-stricken mother, 33, who thought she was pregnant dies weeks after doctors discovered her bloating and vomiting was stage-four tumour

Test results days later revealed she was suffering with stage-four adenocarcinoma, an aggressive cancer of the glands that secrete mucus. Doctors originally gave her between six months and a year to live when Ms Gallacher was diagnosed in January. Pictured, Fiona, left, with sister Kellyann

She died just 11 weeks later, on March 22.

Her family and friends are now urging people to get their health checked and not to ignore any worrying symptoms.

Her heartbroken sister Kellyann told the Daily Record: ‘Fiona started experiencing severe stomach pains but put it down to just feeling unwell.

‘Her stomach suddenly swelled out and she couldn’t keep anything down, she initially thought she was pregnant because of the way she was feeling.

‘She was so swollen it did look as though she might be pregnant.’

The 37-year-old added: ‘Days later, we were told she was suffering from cancer and that she didn’t have long left. It was such a shock for us all, it didn’t feel real.’

Adenocarcinoma, nicknamed the ‘cancer of the cavities’, is often only discovered during tests or treatments for other conditions.

It accounts for around 90 per cent of all kidney and bowel cancers, 85 per cent of lung and a quarter of all cervical cancers, according to the Cancer Council, an Australian advice page.

It is also responsible for most cancers of the breast, prostate and stomach.

Because the cancer can occur in several areas of the body, there is no single list of symptoms of the disease and will depend on the organ affected.

Some patients may not also experience any signs until the cancer is more advanced.

cancer-stricken mother, 33, who thought she was pregnant dies weeks after doctors discovered her bloating and vomiting was stage-four tumour

Adenocarcinoma, nicknamed the ‘cancer of the cavities’, is often only discovered during tests or treatments for other conditions. It accounts for around 90 per cent of all kidney and bowel cancers, 85 per cent of lung and a quarter of all cervical cancers, according to the Cancer Council, an Australian advice page

cancer-stricken mother, 33, who thought she was pregnant dies weeks after doctors discovered her bloating and vomiting was stage-four tumour

Ms Gallacher’s family has been left in shock by her sudden death. Her other sister Sarahann moving into the family home to look after her kids — 16-year-old Graham Hastie, Kevin Hastie, 15, Emmaleigh Goldie, seven, and three-year-old Charlie-May Mcfarlane. Pictured, Fiona, far right

Depending on where the tumor is and how large it is, treatment options can include surgical remove, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy.

Ms Gallacher’s family has been left in shock by her sudden death.

Her other sister Sarahann moving into the family home to look after her kids — 16-year-old Graham Hastie, Kevin Hastie, 15, Emmaleigh Goldie, seven, and three-year-old Charlie-May Mcfarlane.

A GoFundMe page has also been started in memory of the mother, to help cover the cost of her funeral. It has raised almost £2,000 in just three days.

Ms Gallacher said: ‘Fiona said that on the day of her funeral, she wants all of the kids to go and do something fun once they say their final goodbyes.’

Her family and friends are urging people to get regular health check ups and not to ignore symptoms, in light of how suddenly Fiona’s health deteriorated.

Ms Gallacher added: ‘We all play down our symptoms and always think it will never be you, but it isn’t worth taking that chance.

‘I would urge anyone experiencing abnormal stomach pains not to think twice about getting it checked out.

‘Don’t leave it until the last minute — get it checked by your GP as soon as you possibly can.’

Read more

News Related

OTHER NEWS

Fantic Enters The Sporty Side Of Town With Stealth 125 And Imola Concept

Fantic Stealth 125 and Imola Concept The Italian manufacturer’s sporty offerings are designed to appeal to the beginner segment. The 125cc segment, pretty much non-existent in the US market, is ... Read more »

Discover the Health Benefits of Valencia Orange: Serving Sizes, Nutrition Facts, and Concerns Curated by Nutrition Professionals.

Valencia orange image Perspective from Roseane M Silva Master in Health Sciences, Bachelor in Nutrition · 7 years of experience · Brazil Possible Side Effects People who are allergic to ... Read more »

Kibsons at the heart of the better food systems debate bound for Cop28

Leading grocery delivery company Kibsons says it is already answering the call for greener production processes as food security and sourcing enter the Cop28 spotlight later this month. The UAE ... Read more »

Government passes draft budget law for FY2024

AMMAN — The government on Wednesday endorsed the draft general budget law for 2024 with estimated public revenues of JD10.3 billion, marking an increase of 8.9 per cent compared with ... Read more »

New forecasted capital expenditure for fiscal year 2024 stands at JD73 million — Gov’t

AMMAN — The new forecasted capital expenditure for the fiscal year 2024 stands at JD73.317 million, according to the 2024 public budget draft law. The government allocated JD1.729 billion as ... Read more »

Historical insights: Evolution of archaeological research in Jordan from post-World War I to 1960s

AMMAN — The post World War I period marks the beginning of scholarly research in Jordan. During the British Mandate in Jordan, the Department of Antiquities in Amman was founded ... Read more »

No fruit acids, whitening creams: UAE authority issues guidelines for salon cosmetics

The Sharjah City Municipality has issued a set of guidelines for the use of cosmetic products in hair salons and beauty centres. The authority urges salons to stick to these ... Read more »
Top List in the World