29 July 2023 , 15:03
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A mum-to-be who was diagnosed with stage three cancer will “try her hardest” to keep going for her baby - and said “everything happens for a reason”.
Hannah Williams, 29, found out in April she was pregnant with her first child, Nova. But barely two months into the pregnancy, a suspected nasty chest infection led to her diagnosis of stage three lung cancer.
Eyelash technician Hannah went to A&E with “minor chest pain” in June and was diagnosed with pneumonia after a chest X-Ray.
Hannah explained to the Liverpool Echo, “I was really struggling to breathe just doing general daily tasks. As I live in a top floor apartment, I could barely get halfway up the stairs.”
"I went to my GP, he listened to my chest, and said chest infection. Two days later I went to the walk-in centre, who prescribed me a blue inhaler and five days Amoxicillin.
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Hannah with her dog, Bentley (Echo)After returning to A&E and receiving another pneumonia diagnosis, Hannah discharged herself from hospital - only to find herself back within hours.
"I got home, got to bed, and within an hour I had multiple missed calls saying I needed to immediately return for treatment. Eventually I had a CT scan, which confirmed a mass on my left lung which had grown so much in three weeks they knew it was serious."
Just 24 hours after the scan, Hannah was diagnosed with stage three cancer and was prepped for urgent chemotherapy. A tube was used to remove over 4.5 litres of fluid from her left lung - the tube remains in her chest.
She was given the option of terminating her pregnancy due to the possible effects of chemotherapy, but Hannah said: "It's my decision to go ahead as far as I can go with my pregnancy. I'm hoping and praying I can get her far enough to give her a fighting chance.
She added: "I'm a positive person, and I believe everything does happen for a reason. I am strong enough, young enough and fit enough to fight this. With being pregnant, it makes everything escalate quicker.
Hannah Williams, 29, was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in June 2023 - two months after finding out she was expecting her first baby (Hannah Williams)"But it was never an option for me to terminate my baby. Regardless of the outcome, all I know is I tried my hardest and I never took the possible easy way out."
While Hannah undergoes treatment at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, her friend, Natalie Myles, has set up an online fundraiser to support her while she remains unable to work.
Natalie said: "Anyone who knows Hannah will know she has always been independent and self-sufficient. Unfortunately, with the current circumstances, we now just want her to focus on getting better and not finances."
Hannah Williams, 29 (second from left), was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in June 2023 (Hannah Williams)Hannah said: “Nothing makes sense to me right now. In the space of four weeks, my whole world has been turned upside down. My friends have been my rock. I literally could never ever thank them for what they have done.
“There was a lot of pressure on me the day after chemotherapy as my rent was six days late, so my friends took it upon themselves to set a go fund me page up. I cannot believe the amount of support and generosity from people. I am so overwhelmed.
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"When I am better, I want to go into nursing and help as many people as I possibly can. After being between Clatterbridge and ICU, I can not fault one nurse. Every single one has been amazing and has opened my eyes to how special they are."