The Christie Charity
Press release posted 14 November 2024
Laura Hudson, a 34-year-old lawyer from Manchester, is celebrating the first birthday of her daughter, who was born by emergency C-section just days after Laura was told she had breast cancer.
Laura, who lives with her husband Sam and baby Aurora in Astley, was 36 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed. She had some of her treatment at The Christie’s local centre at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan, on the same site where she received her maternity care.
Laura went to see her GP after discovering a lump in her right breast. The GP referred Laura to a local hospital for a scan and a biopsy, the results of which showed that she had stage 2, grade 3 breast cancer.
“When they told me that I had cancer, it completely floored me. Sam and I just burst into tears. I was in a complete pregnancy bubble, preparing to become a mum for the first time, so had never really considered that it could be something so serious. My mind immediately went to Aurora and what would happen to her.”
Aurora was born by emergency C-section on 14 November 2023, less than a week after Laura’s diagnosis. She had just 3 weeks to recover before she started chemo at The Christie’s local centre in Wigan, near to where she lives.
“Being a new mum is difficult enough, but having to go through cancer treatment on top of it was almost unbearable. I couldn’t have gotten through it without the support of Sam and my parents. Between taking me to hospital appointments and looking after Aurora, they have been my rocks.
"I couldn’t do as much as I wanted with Aurora, which was heartbreaking and at times made me feel like an inadequate mum but having her to come back to after a day at hospital helped me get through it. Whenever I was having a particularly tough moment, I’d focus on her. She’s my aurora in the truest sense of the word, a beautiful light in the dark.”
Her chemotherapy was followed by a mastectomy and reconstruction at the end of April, followed by 15 sessions of radiotherapy. She finished her treatment in the middle of August but plans to have the other breast removed next year.
She is now cancer-free but will have to have regular check-ups at The Christie so her team can keep an eye on her.
“My active treatment is finished now, and I couldn’t be happier,” comments Laura. I want to do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t come back, so I’m on tamoxifen and having my other breast removed next year. We don’t know what this means for having more children in the future, but we are so lucky to have had Aurora – other women are not so lucky. I’m now entirely focused on recovery and my future with Sam and Aurora. There’s so much I want to do, and I’m looking forward to what’s next.
“At every point of my journey – from diagnosis and Aurora’s birth to my cancer treatment – I felt very safe and cared for by the NHS. All my nurses were brilliant. Being able to have my treatment in Wigan made a big difference. They made it so I could fit treatment around Aurora as much as possible, rather than the other way round. I brought her in to see them on the last day, and they were so happy to see her, it was quite an emotional moment. I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for me.”
Laura’s husband Sam and some of their friends gave back to The Christie by running the Manchester Half Marathon for The Christie Charity. They raised around £12k.
"Laura is an inspirational woman,” comments Dr. Claire Kelly, Laura’s consultant at The Christie. “By sharing her story, she is raising awareness as well. A lump is not the only symptom of breast cancer, so it’s important that people check themselves regularly and know what’s normal for them.”
“The Christie provides treatment and care for over 60,000 people a year and, wherever possible, we try to see people as close to home as possible. That’s where our local treatment centres like the one in Wigan come in, as well as our local radiotherapy centres at Salford, Oldham and Macclesfield,” Dr. Kelly continues. “We are also really grateful that Laura and her loved ones have chosen to raise money for our charity. It provides services above and beyond what the NHS funds. Donations make a huge difference to the care that The Christie can provide for patients and their families.”