Rebecca Hind contracted food poisoning at a work Christmas meal, but her sickness never went away – she was eventually diagnosed with a rare cancer that claimed the life of Audrey Hepburn
A woman had to have 13 of her organs removed after food poisoning from a Christmas meal led to a devastating cancer diagnosis.
Rebecca Hind contracted food poisoning at a work Christmas meal, but her sickness never went away and after several visits to her GP and the hospital months on, a scan eventually revealed masses in her abdomen. Biopsies then revealed she had a one-in-a-million cancer – the same type that claimed the life of Audrey Hepburn.
Rebecca’s cancer had fused to the surface of several abdominal organs, forming solid tumours. It was found to be advanced, and she underwent two surgeries to remove thirteen organs and body parts that had become cancerous, including her bowel, ovaries and uterus.
She was left her needing to take up to 60 tablets a day for her body to continue functioning. But months on, 39-year-old Rebecca got the devastating news that the surgery hadn’t eradicated the cancer, and it was classified as incurable. She doesn’t know how long she will live, but is trying to experience as much as she can and live a fulfilling, happy and enjoyable life.
Rebecca, from Eden Valley, Cumbria, was an outdoor education instructor. She said: “After our Christmas 2018 work meal, a few of us were unwell – but whilst others recovered quickly, I remained ill eight weeks later. The GP had given me several rounds of antibiotics but nothing worked.
“But after a CT scan and biopsies, I learned I had pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) – and that it was widespread. They surgically removed some diseased organs, and administered eight rounds of chemotherapy, but some disease remained.
“Then I had a second surgery so I was dealing with the life-changing effects of the surgery, and then I learned the cancer had returned and was incurable. It was heartbreaking. But I’ve just got to try to get on with life, and deal with whatever comes my way.”
Fitness fanatic Rebecca had began noticing unusual weight gain around her stomach in 2018 – but she simply continued exercising to try to lose it.
Then following a work Christmas meal in December 2018, Rebecca and several colleagues were left sick with food poisoning. But when they all recovered quickly, she was still unwell two months on.
She was referred to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, where a CT scan revealed the cancerous masses in her abdomen. These were later revealed to be PMP – and Rebecca learned it had spread widely to other organs by a jelly-like cancerous liquid called mucin.
It transpired Rebecca’s stomach swelling had been the characteristic ‘jelly belly’ associated with PMP as the mucin gathered in her abdomen. Mucin had fused to the surface of lots of her organs to form hard masses, limiting her organs’ ability to function.
Rebecca said: “By the time they found it, I was pretty much riddled with it.”
In April 2019, she had a surgery at The Christie Hospital, Manchester to remove her appendix and umbilicus, lesser omentum and six litres of mucin. When tests later showed the cancer was a high-grade and more aggressive form of PMP which was present on lots of organs, Rebecca tried eight rounds of chemo, but it didn’t shrink the cancer enough.
She travelled to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital in November 2019 where specialists performed an extreme and lengthy procedure – dubbed ‘the mother of all surgeries’ – in a bid to remove ALL the abnormal tissue.
During the 12-hour surgery they removed her greater omentum, gall bladder, spleen, large bowel, womb, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, and rectum.
They also removed a portion of her stomach and small bowel, and the surface layer of her liver and both sides of her diaphragm.
Rebecca said: “I went through a surgical menopause aged 35 – it was an assault on the body. As part of the surgery I had a heated liquid form of chemotherapy – known as HIPEC – to target any remaining cancer cells and they formed an ileostomy. I was in hospital recovering on and off for months after.”
She participated in a clinical trial in 2022 aimed to target the genetic mutation associated with the cancer, but it made her too unwell. After then, treatment options had run out and the condition was labelled incurable.
Rebecca is now trying to experience as much as she can, as well as raising awareness of PMP. She said: “I’m trying to do things to have a ‘normal’ life – but with modifications. I turn 40 this year and I want to say yes to everything – I’ve been surfing, in a hot air balloon and dog sledding so far.
“My latest challenge is Chris Hoy’s ‘Tour de 4’ 90km cycle to raise money for Pseudomyxoma Survivor, a specific PMP charity, the patron of which is Audrey Hepburn’s son. The message I want to get across is when you have a stoma or an incurable diagnosis, things will be incredibly difficult.
“My daily life is a rollercoaster – but with the right attitude, you can still achieve a lot. And more importantly, enjoy whatever time you have.”