Lancaster teen faces cancer battle for second time

The brave teen went under the knife to have two thirds of her stomach removed in a 12-hour operation at Manchester Children’s Hospital.

She came through the other side and went on to fulfil a normal life with her family in Lancaster.

But nearly five years after her diagnosis Jazmyn has been told her stomach cancer has returned and spread to the right side of her liver.

Now at 18, Jazmyn is preparing to battle again but adjusting to the news has not been easy.
“It was a shock that my baby got it,” said mum, Jill Lawton.

“When you think of cancer you think that is it, you are going to die, but when you speak to the professionals they explain right she’s going to get over it.

“But it has come back, we thought after nearly five years it is not going to come back.”

The consultant at Manchester Children’s Hospital was about to give the all clear when something appeared abnormal on her routine scan and blood tests.

Jazmyn was then referred to Christie Hospital in Manchester where she was given the diagnosis and information about future treatments.

“I was devastated, I cried all that night, all weekend,” said Jazmyn, who lives with her mum and dad, Colin, on Wingate-Saul Road.

“The pain I was going through the first time after surgery was just immense.

“The worst was probably when I was waking up after the surgery.

“It’s easier now because I have been through it, I know what to expect.”

When problems first occurred in 2013 doctors at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary suspected Jazmyn may have a stomach ulcer.

But others thought this was very rare and unlikely at her age.

According to Cancer Research UK the peak rate of stomach cancers is among those aged 85-89 years.

“It came as a shock to us and to them as it was acase they had not seen in ages, this type of cancer is rare in children,” said Jill, who works at the Spar shop on Willow Lane.

Jazymn will need to take chemotherapy tablets 
every day for the rest of her life to contain and shrink the cancer.

The tablets can cause many side effects, including heavy bruising, fatigue and nausea.

Friends and family have set up a Go Fund Me Page to give Jazmyn something to look forward to – a holiday of a lifetime.

“We just want to give her a holiday she will remember for ever,” said sister Lois. “No child should be diagnosed with cancer.”

“It surprised me to see just how many people care,” said Jazmyn.

“I think it’s brilliant, we have so much support,” said Jill.

To donate visit www.gofundme.com/hfhm6v-give-jazmyn-a-holiday-to-remember.