Linda’s Story: celebrating strength, supporting recovery

Linda has worked at the Trust for almost 17 years, beginning her journey as a Domestic Assistant at St Mary’s Hospital. Her story is one of resilience, hope, and the power of community support. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Linda underwent treatment and recovery, and is now sharing her experience to help others.

A life-changing diagnosis

“I went to my GP because I was having some bleeding. Looking back, I did have other symptoms, like bloating and feeling really tired all the time.

I was referred by my GP to Obstetrics and Gynaecology at St James Hospital at the end of June 2023 for some tests and biopsy. The tests showed that they had found cancer in the lining of my womb, and I was told it was stage one grade one detected early but that I would need a full MRI scan. The MRI showed that the cancer hadn’t spread, and I had a full hysterectomy within four months of my referral.

The operation went well and so did my recovery. I had a test to check all the cancer had been removed but when my results came back, it had picked up a different cancer in my fallopian tube that was more aggressive and could travel around my body and into my blood. This time, the cancer was stage three, grade three. I felt like my world had fallen apart.”

Linda underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy from November 2023 to June 2024. Throughout this time, she was supported by a wide range of NHS staff.

“All the staff that looked after me through all my treatment, from my GP, my surgeon, nurses, even the domestic staff, were fantastic. The NHS was just brilliant regarding my care.”

Recovery and support

“Once my treatment finished, my recovery could finally start. I’ve had counselling and been to support groups at Maggie’s, a charity to support people and their families who are going through cancer, which were very helpful to me with coping and processing what I’ve been through.

I still have some long-term side effects, including nerve damage, fatigue, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and focusing but I have been able to come back to work.”

Returning to work

Linda is a Soft Service Supervisor, overseeing a team of domestic assistants at St Mary’s House.

“My manager and HR are letting me take it at a pace that is right for me. The support I got from work was good regarding checking in on me and how my treatment was going and how I was coping with everything. Some staff don’t understand how hard it is for me to return to work at a much slower pace, but I know I will get there at some point.”

Celebrating milestones

Linda’s journey has been marked by many personal victories.

“I’ve had so many milestones on my journey, including gardening with my grandson, having date nights with my husband, seeing The Killers, celebrating New Year’s Eve all dressed up, and making it my choice to shave off my hair when it started to fall out. Some days the milestones were as simple as getting out of bed and having a shower. The biggest milestone was finishing my treatment and on 17 June 2024 being told there was no evidence of disease.”

Giving back

Linda took part in the “Walk in Her Name 2025,” a 100km walk in March to raise funds for ovarian cancer research.

“As part of my journey, I wanted to give a little back and decided to do the Walk in Her Name 2025, which is a 100km walk in March for Ovarian Cancer to help fund research that will give women the best chance of survival. My target was to raise £200, and I am really pleased to have raised over £400! I found it really hard but worth the challenge.”

Linda’s advice

“My advice for anyone going through ovarian cancer treatment would be don’t use Dr Google. If you need answers talk to your cancer nurse or Macmillan cancer support, they can give you the right advice or point you in the right direction. Also, don’t be so hard on yourself, especially on bad days, let your body tell you what it needs to do.

For anyone who thinks they might have cancer go see your GP as soon as possible, only then can you know for sure and deal with it.”

Thank you, Linda

Thank you, Linda, for sharing your story. Your resilience and self-compassion are truly inspirational. Your journey reminds us of the importance of early diagnosis, the strength of community, and the support available within our Trust.