THE FAMILY of a young mum who was diagnosed with cancer just three weeks after giving birth to twins have told of their heartbreak.
Laura Howard was diagnosed with advanced metastatic bowel cancer in August, less than three weeks after she gave birth to twin girls Florence and Meadow.
The 33-year-old found out the cancer had spread from her bowel to her liver and will have to face three months of chemotherapy to reduce the tumours, followed by multiple operations to remove them.
Laura’s sister Sam Corbridge, who lives in Hangleton, Hove, says her sister is exhausted and is in “almost constant agony”.
She told The Argus: “Two days after the birth, Laura noticed a lump on her side which was initially suspected to be a muscular tear, but it turned out to be a tumour in her liver.
- READ MORE: Brighton mum loses business after cancer diagnosis in lockdown
“She’s very tired and she’s in a lot of pain on top of being up in the night with two twins, which adds to the exhaustion. She’s just trying to get by until the treatment starts.
“Because her tumour is now 15cm by 12cm on the liver, it’s actually protruding right out of her stomach so she’s struggling to hold the babies and feed them at night because she can’t get comfortable.”
Laura was brought up in Portslade before moving to Liverpool in 2009 after meeting her husband Stephen on a visit to the city.
- READ MORE: Tributes paid to 'incredible' Brighton medic Tristam Bradley
Her family, including her mum and her sisters Sam and Jade, still live in Brighton and Hove.
Sam says she finds living far away from her sister difficult, but she knows Laura is receiving support from Stephen and his family, who also live in Merseyside.
She said: “It’s been hard for us, but we know she is getting help looking after the babies.
“But we are all down here in Brighton and we feel so helpless that we can’t do very much.
“We’re so limited in what we can do, and it really is a helpless feeling.”
Sam has now set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Laura and Stephen after he quit his job as a gardener to care for his family full-time.
Despite being set up for less than a week, it has already raised more than £12,000.
The family are also planning on hosting a fundraiser event at a venue in Brighton to raise further funds for Laura.
Sam said: “It’s been so overwhelming. Some of the donations have just been amazing. We’ve had really high amounts given from complete strangers and it just makes you think ‘wow’.
“It’s so touching to think people would reach out like that to help a total stranger.”
Sam says Laura has not yet been given a full prognosis and a decision will be taken on the next stage of her treatment following her first round of chemotherapy.
To donate to the GoFundMe, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/6azke6-lauras-cancer-journey
Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.
Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.
You can also call us on 01273 021 400.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel