"I was diagnosed with two rare cancers in just six weeks - it didn't feel real"
A single mum diagnosed with two rare cancers just six weeks apart had to have SIX ORGANS REMOVED - including her ovaries, uterus and cervix.
Hayley Shaw, 44, previously led an active lifestyle but pelvic pain and heavy periods led to the discovery of two cancerous uterine polyps in June 2023.
Hayley's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer which typically affects women over 70.
She was then told she would have an induced menopause and need a hysterectomy - preventing her from having any more children.
Following her hysterectomy, Hayley - a former image consultant - returned home for a few weeks only to begin feeling unwell again.
She was admitted to a haematologist who found abnormal lymphocytes in her blood and diagnosed her with 'hairy cell leukemia' in August 2023 - named after the hair-like growths on the surface of the cells.
It was confirmed that she had 91 per cent leukemia cells in her bone marrow and 69 per cent in her blood.
Having not even processed her first diagnosis, Hayley described the second - which came just six weeks later - as "not feeling real".
Hayley - who is mum to Lorenzo, 11 - had one round of chemotherapy in November and will need to have a further biopsy to establish the growth of cells and whether she needs more chemotherapy.
For her uterine cancer, Hayley needs regular six-month check ups of her bladder to see if the polyps return.
Hayley's total hysterectomy meant she had all of uterus, cervix, both ovaries and both fallopian tubes removed.
Mum-of-one Hayley, from Chafford Hundrend, Essex, said: "Beforehand I was a very active and fit person working in an image consultancy and this just totally affected everything.
"It has been the most traumatic time I've ever had in my entire life.
"My son has had to live through this with me as well - it's affected him too.
"I hadn't even processed the first one when the second diagnosis came. It didn't feel real."
Following her first diagnosis, Hayley was told her condition would put her into an early menopause.
She said: "It's been very hard.
"It affects you a lot with brain fog, exhaustion, sleepless nights.
"That cancer diagnosis normally happens in people over the age of 70 - it's quite rare.
"I was getting a lot of pelvic pain and heavy periods.
"The ultrasound picked up on two polyps that I was initially told were benign.
"It turns out they were uterine cancer."
Just weeks after her op, Hayley was left reeling from her second piece of devastating news.
She said: "About four weeks after the hysterectomy I booked myself in to see a haematologist - I knew something wasn't right.
"He said I had abnormal lymphocytes in my blood.
"He did another blood test and that's when it came back with another type of very rare cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
"Two rare cancers diagnosed within six weeks.
"It was difficult."
Hayley Shaw, 44, previously led an active lifestyle but pelvic pain and heavy periods led to the discovery of two cancerous uterine polyps in June 2023.
Hayley's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer which typically affects women over 70.
She was then told she would have an induced menopause and need a hysterectomy - preventing her from having any more children.
Following her hysterectomy, Hayley - a former image consultant - returned home for a few weeks only to begin feeling unwell again.
She was admitted to a haematologist who found abnormal lymphocytes in her blood and diagnosed her with 'hairy cell leukemia' in August 2023 - named after the hair-like growths on the surface of the cells.
It was confirmed that she had 91 per cent leukemia cells in her bone marrow and 69 per cent in her blood.
Having not even processed her first diagnosis, Hayley described the second - which came just six weeks later - as "not feeling real".
Hayley - who is mum to Lorenzo, 11 - had one round of chemotherapy in November and will need to have a further biopsy to establish the growth of cells and whether she needs more chemotherapy.
For her uterine cancer, Hayley needs regular six-month check ups of her bladder to see if the polyps return.
Hayley's total hysterectomy meant she had all of uterus, cervix, both ovaries and both fallopian tubes removed.
Mum-of-one Hayley, from Chafford Hundrend, Essex, said: "Beforehand I was a very active and fit person working in an image consultancy and this just totally affected everything.
"It has been the most traumatic time I've ever had in my entire life.
"My son has had to live through this with me as well - it's affected him too.
"I hadn't even processed the first one when the second diagnosis came. It didn't feel real."
Following her first diagnosis, Hayley was told her condition would put her into an early menopause.
She said: "It's been very hard.
"It affects you a lot with brain fog, exhaustion, sleepless nights.
"That cancer diagnosis normally happens in people over the age of 70 - it's quite rare.
"I was getting a lot of pelvic pain and heavy periods.
"The ultrasound picked up on two polyps that I was initially told were benign.
"It turns out they were uterine cancer."
Just weeks after her op, Hayley was left reeling from her second piece of devastating news.
She said: "About four weeks after the hysterectomy I booked myself in to see a haematologist - I knew something wasn't right.
"He said I had abnormal lymphocytes in my blood.
"He did another blood test and that's when it came back with another type of very rare cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
"Two rare cancers diagnosed within six weeks.
"It was difficult."
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