Linda’s story begins at a moment that should have been filled with celebration. Instead, her world was turned upside down when she discovered a lump in her breast. What followed was a decade-long journey marked by courage, setbacks and the incredible support of the staff at West Middlesex University Hospital. In this video, she reflects on why their care means so much to her today.
Watch the video or read the transcript below.
Linda shares her cancer journey and the exceptional care she received at West Middlesex University Hospital
Linda’s story: transcript
I discovered the lump in my breast myself, the day after my husband proposed to me and the day we’d planned to tell everybody the good news. That was a very difficult day. And I was told it was the most aggressive type. I remember bursting into tears then.
The hardest person to tell was my mum – talking about it still makes me cry – because she was quite old and I knew how she’d react. She thought she was losing me. We’re a very close family, very close.
A team that goes above and beyond
The team at West Middlesex are amazing. I always felt I was in safe hands – always. [They’re] very well coordinated, very professional, very caring. They know what they’re doing. When you see how they are with the other patients and how caring they are and how hard they work – they don’t stop. And when I finished the treatment, they were as emotional as I was. Because they see what you go through.
I tell everyone about them, and I’ve had friends who subsequently have had cancer, and I said, you know, ‘go to West Mid – they know what they’re doing. You’ll be okay there.’
Facing another cancer diagnosis
It came back in the other breast. I sat in the waiting room outside the chemotherapy unit and just sobbed. I couldn’t bear the thought of it again. The same staff that were there from 10 years before – they recognised me, they remembered me. I always feel we went through it together. Because they go through a lot with you. It’s actually quite a personal thing for them as well.
And they explained everything to me and they said, ‘you’ve got cancer of the uterus as well. We discovered it when we did the scans.’ I had no symptoms of uterus cancer, none at all. So I count it as an absolute blessing that they found that. Thank goodness, they’re thorough.
Gratitude for life-saving care
I couldn’t thank them enough. They saved my life. That’s the bottom line. They saved my life and they made the journey as easy as it possibly could be.
It’s such a fantastic hospital… I’m going to get emotional again. But they work so hard. They deserve to work in an environment that gives them a lift every day when they go into that hospital. We’re only in there for a few hours. They’re in there day in, day out.
I think any generous donation – any donation – would be amazing. They deserve it.
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