A WOMAN died after losing her mother to a type of cancer that she had self-diagnosed while watching Coronation Street.
Bea Walton from Crewe (Chery) noticed that Bea had been urinating more than usual. Hayley Crpper also had the same symptoms.
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The TV soap star’s storyline saw her diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and ending her own life in final scenes aired in January 2014.
Bea, a grandmother of 60 years, first felt something was wrong in 2015. Her daughter, Nicola Smith, stated that Bea thought it was.
Nicola, 46, told Cheshire Live: “She [Bea]It was not common for many people to start burping frequently.
“My mum actually watched an episode of Coronation Street, and I think it was Hayley on Coronation Street had had the same symptoms, so she sort of mentioned to the doctor…”
Bea went for scans and she was diagnosed with jaundice. Jaundice is when the skin or whites of the eyes turns yellow due to an issue with the liver.
This was due to Bea’s pancreatic cancer.
It can cause jaundice, feeling sick, changes to stools, pain in your stomach, and symptoms like burping or bloating.
It can also cause common cancer symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, and high temperatures.
After Bea’s diagnosis in March 2015, she had a Whipple operation at North Staffordshire Hospital.
The Whipple procedure, which involves complex surgery to remove the head of your pancreas as well as various parts of your bowel, is complicated. For people suffering from pancreatic cancer, it can save their lives.
Bea was then treated at South Cheshire Hospital. It didn’t work, and the cancer spread.
Due to the sores she had in her mouth, she was unable to eat.
Bea “carried on fighting till the end”Nicola stated that she was sadly dead in November 2016 at the age of 62.
Nicola stated: “My Mum was determined to see my youngest grandchild, at that time, which was in October.
“So she saw that and I think as soon as she saw her first birthday then that’s when she sort of, didn’t give up, but she knew she’d seen it and could rest.
“Maybe my Mum would have known that the burping and jaundice were a sign of aging earlier and caught it sooner. She might still be here today.
“It’s possible to be lucky. But it’s just really to get the signs and symptoms heard a bit more really.”
Nicola shared the story of her mother as part Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 10,000 people get diagnosed with the disease every year. Pancreatic Cancer Action.
It is the most fatal of all cancers. It kills approximately 9,000 people each year, and only seven percent survive for more than five years.
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