A mother-of-three from Greater Manchester, Lyndsey Ainscough,
Credits campaigner Dame Deborah James with saving her life from bowel cancer. Diagnosed with stage three cancer at 38, Ainscough only sought medical help after seeing Dame Deborah on TV shortly before her death in June 2022.
Ainscough, a secondary school attendance manager, experienced symptoms such as bleeding and tiredness for several months, initially attributing them to irritable bowel syndrome. Her perspective changed after watching Dame Deborah James discuss bowel cancer symptoms on the news.
“It was one day that it clicked. Dame Deborah helped save my life,” Ainscough said. Realizing the severity of her symptoms, she immediately consulted her GP, who referred her for a colonoscopy. The diagnosis confirmed her fears: she had bowel cancer.
The Diagnosis and Treatment Journey
During her colonoscopy in June 2022, Ainscough faced a terrifying moment of silence in the examination room. “I could see something on the screen… it did not enter my mind for one minute that it could be cancer,” she recalled. The nurse informed her that it was highly likely to be cancer, leaving Ainscough in complete shock.
A 5cm tumor deemed unsuitable for surgery left Ainscough feeling hopeless. However, a referral to the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester offered a lifeline through a clinical trial of experimental immunotherapy.
“It was a no-brainer,” said Ainscough, who joined the trial in September 2022. The combination of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy proved successful. By January 2023, scans showed she was cancer-free.
“I felt like I’d been given another chance. A miracle,” she said.
Since her recovery, Ainscough has embraced life with renewed vigor. She enjoyed a family holiday, celebrated a surprise 40th birthday party, and witnessed her son play at Wembley with his school rugby team. Ainscough now undergoes three-monthly scans to ensure the cancer has not returned.
Ainscough’s story highlights the life-saving impact of public awareness and the importance of seeking medical advice for persistent health issues. Her journey from a shocking diagnosis to a triumphant recovery is a testament to the advancements in cancer treatment and the power of early detection.