York mother urges regular health checks after rare cancer diagnosis during pandemic
Heather Hackney, a 38-year-old from York, was diagnosed with the rare sarcoma leiomyosarcoma amid COVID-19 and now advocates for prompt medical attention.
Heather Hackney experienced intense pelvic pain after giving birth in 2019, leading doctors to identify a fibroid that eventually ruptured. In August 2020, during the pandemic, she collapsed at home and emergency surgery removed the ruptured growth; a subsequent biopsy diagnosed leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of sarcoma rarely seen in women of her age. She underwent a radical hysterectomy in September 2020, followed by four weeks of radiotherapy, and now attends yearly check-ups for lung nodules and bone health.
The treatment induced early menopause, requiring ongoing bone-density monitoring and medication. Hackney says the charity Sarcoma UK has been invaluable and stresses the importance of self-advocacy and getting symptoms checked promptly.
Why it matters
The story highlights the need for vigilance and early diagnosis of rare cancers, especially during healthcare disruptions.
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