Smethwick Mother's Heartbreaking Terminal Cancer Diagnosis After Initially Dismissing Symptoms as COVID
A courageous mother-of-four from Smethwick has vulnerably shared the stark realities of living with terminal cancer, after having previously defeated the disease once before. Ameena Westwood, 54, received a lobular breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, undergoing a mastectomy and radiotherapy treatment before being declared cancer-free.
From Remission to Relapse: A Cough That Wouldn't Go Away
Seven years later, Ameena's life was dramatically upended once more when what began as a persistent cough revealed something far more sinister. Speaking openly about her experience, she highlighted how many people become complacent after passing the five-year milestone, assuming cancer will not return.
"I was at work, and I just had a cough, and this cough wouldn't go away. I put it down to Covid. I did a COVID test, and I did have COVID," Ameena recounted. "It got worse and worse and it was almost like croup. Then I tried to get up the stairs and it was getting hard just to walk up a flight of stairs."
She described feeling extremely winded, with her blood pressure fluctuating wildly and her pulse racing as her body struggled. Ameena also unintentionally lost two stones in weight, leading her to tell colleagues she feared her cancer had returned.
The Difficult Path to Diagnosis
The founder of YCA Let's Talk Hope in Sandwell Cancer Support sought medical help three times before receiving a stage 4 metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in March 2024. "It took the third time when I went in [to the doctor] and I said, look, I know my signs and symptoms. I think I've got cancer," she explained.
After a chest x-ray, radiographers' shocked reactions signaled something was seriously wrong. Ameena was directed to A&E alone, where she overheard the term "lesions" being used. "I sat there, and I could feel the tears running down my face. I said on my family WhatsApp chat, something's wrong and I'm having to see a doctor, and I'm scared because they mentioned the word lesions," she shared emotionally.
Her sister, who was undergoing breast cancer treatment at the time, joined her at the hospital. Doctors informed Ameena she most likely had cancer, with a partially collapsed lung surrounded by fluid. A formal diagnosis followed two and a half weeks later.
Breaking the News to Family and Ongoing Treatment
Recounting the moment she told her mother, who also had breast cancer, about the terminal diagnosis, Ameena broke down. "I knelt down, I held her hand and said: 'Mum they can't do it because I've got terminal cancer,'" she said through tears.
Currently, Ameena undergoes targeted therapy with tablets taken morning and night. "I take the tablet in the morning, and there's a tablet I take at night that's keeping me stable. I go every month for my bloods and a bone injection because my cancer has spread to my bones," she detailed. "It's in the bottom of my spine. My right hip is riddled with cancer. It's in my sternum, and it's in my ribs."
Without this treatment, Ameena acknowledges she would not be here today. "They're keeping me alive. I'm grateful for that," she expressed.
Maintaining Positivity and Seeking Support
Despite her diagnosis, Ameena continues to work full-time, driven by a desire to make a difference. "I still work full-time because I want to make a difference. I stay as positive as I can because I think positivity does help - but I'm still a human being that struggles," she admitted.
She also spoke highly of Macmillan and its nurses, utilizing the Macmillan Support Line to avoid burdening her family with worries. Macmillan provides comprehensive physical, financial, and emotional support to those affected by cancer and their loved ones.
A Macmillan spokesperson stated: "The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000."
