Mum faces amputation after rare cancer diagnosis
A MUM is scheduled to have a below-the-knee amputation just over a year after heading into work and noticing a lump and tightness in her shoe.
Sharon Walker, from Nant-ymoel, Bridgend, was working from home as a medical secretary in the Princess of Wales Hospital when she had to pop into the office in May 2021.
The 53-year-old mother said: “I noticed my shoe was feeling a bit tighter than normal, and I’d had this lump on my foot for a while anyway, probably a couple of months that I’d really noticed it, so I went to the doctors the following week.”
Upon her visit to the GP Sharon was advised it was lymphedema – a build-up of fluid in soft body tissues when the lymph system is damaged or blocked – and was told to rest it above her heart and return in two weeks if it did not improve.
Thankfully, working in the diabetes centre, there was a podiatrist onsite when Sharon next returned to work between her doctor’s visits.
“She saw my foot and the first thing she said was you need a scan on that straight away,” Sharon explained.
On June 1, 2021, Sharon had a scan and biopsy taken, where – after consulting Google – Sharon asked “is it likely to be a sarcoma?”.
The radiographer, having worked on a multidisciplinary team in Morriston Hospital that dealt with sarcomas, said he thought it was highly likely.
The following day it was confirmed Sharon had a rare cancer, Myxofibrosarcoma, in her left foot, and her treatment began. On August 25, she had an eight-hour operation to remove the sarcoma and rebuild the area with nerves and vessels from her forearm.
“I’ve got a massive scar on my arm now that’s never going to heal,” Sharon added, “They just put a skin graft over the top, so you could
practically see right inside.”
Unfortunately, just before Christmas in 2021, Sharon found another lump at the top of her leg, near her groin area.
“I didn’t say anything to anyone because it was in the middle of December, Christmas was coming, and I didn’t want to spoil anybody’s Christmas.”
Sharon waited until her daughter Ffion’s birthday had passed on the 28th before saying anything.
“She gave me a row,” Sharon explained, before getting straight on the phone with her mother’s doctors.
Further tests and an MRI confirmed it had spread to the lymph nodes in the area, and Sharon had another surgery in February 2022.
Due to the area of the operation, Sharon was advised that an infection was very likely, and she says she had “a massive infection” which was bordering on sepsis.
Three debridements, foul-smelling dressings and a “vac” machine later and the infection finally cleared; however, doctors advised Sharon they hadn’t managed to get the desired 1cm margins, instead only getting 1mm, thus it was likely the cancer would return.
Almost a year later, another lump appeared on the same foot, and on June 8, just over a year after her first
CT scan, doctors advised the family a below-the-knee amputation was the best option.
“It was a bit of a shock,” explained Sharon. “I had it in the back of my mind, I work in the NHS and I know the score with things like this, but it was still a shock for him to actually say that.”
Once the shock subsided Sharon returned to her positive mindset. “I’m a very positive person, and I’m a very strong person, of course, I have my days like anybody would, but I’ve got to look at it that way. I would rather lose my leg than lose my life.”
The impact of the last year has also been felt by Sharon’s daughter Ffion, who moved back to the family home to help look after her.
“It’s been difficult, definitely difficult,” 23-year-old Ffion said.
“I work from home now so that’s something because I’m here in the day. My nan has been brilliant as well, she only lives in the street behind us so she comes down every day.”
Hoping to help her mother’s quality of life post-amputation, Ffion set up a fundraiser to purchase a motorised wheelchair.
Sharon has a wheelchair provided by the NHS, which is helpful around the house; however, it would prove difficult to use when out and about.
Sharon said: “It’s a bog-standard wheelchair at the moment that unfortunately Ffion has to push me in.”
Ffion added her nan, who will take Sharon for days out, would be unable to push her in the chair.
“I feel awkward she’s got to do this so I think a proper electric wheelchair will give me my independence back,” Sharon said.
Sharon’s amputation is due to take place on Monday. A recent scan showed everything was clear excluding the sarcoma in her foot, so this should hopefully be the end of Sharon’s cancer journey. If you would like to donate to their fundraiser, visit www.gofundme.com/f/ sharon-following-her-cancer-treatment-sarcomauk