"They're a lifeline" - Hallamshire hospital cured my cancer
- Stephen Gibbs
- Dec 30, 2017
- 2 min read
Kath Stark 60, a cancer patient from Doncaster says the enthusiasm, care and positivity of staff at Sheffield's Hallamshire hospital have given her a second chance at life after helping her overcome breast cancer as well as myeloid leukaemia.
In 2014 Kath developed Myelofibrosis - a serious bone marrow disorder that disrupts your body's production of blood cells. This meant that Kath was having blood transfusions once a month.
In 2016 she developed myeloid leukaemia which required chemotherapy for the treatment. This caused her to begin to lose her hair, a stage she decsribed as very difficult.
"I was scared to wash my hair; I couldn’t look in a mirror".
She had asked if her hairdresser could come in to shave the remaining hair off but due to the nature of the hospital they couldn’t so instead one of the nurses shaved it off for her.
"Anything I needed they were here for me, they gave me 110% and I knew I had to give it back myself".
She also underwent a stem cell transplant; the treatment means that she now has 100% of her donor's new bone marrow. She believes it was due to this that she can live a normal life again.
"It's Vital to be a bone marrow donor, it's much easier now than it used to be and it can save a life".
On the 21st December this year she celebrated her '1st birthday' which in a post on Facebook she gave special thanks to her donor and all NHS staff.
A recent investigation has highlighted Sheffield as one of the highest 'sickness tax' in terms of parking prices. Kath however sees this as irrelevant as there are options for long term visitors to receive cheaper fares and that in the long run it helped save her life.
Kath says the key to her recovery was through the care and support of other people. Her husband Bill Stark was able to stay in a student residence nearby in order to be there to offer his support; this was provided by Hallamshire hospital.
"Support is the 2nd part of the treatment, all the staff were so enthusiastic about your care, and they want you to have everything, even down to the cleaners".
For more information on how to become a bone marrow donor head to: https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/british-bone-marrow-registry/how-can-i-help/
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