London pharmacist Anna Lam spent her career at the heart of the NHS but, when she became a patient herself, she felt let down by the system she had served.
A year after her death from uterine sarcoma, her son Hugo is running the London Marathon — not just in her memory, but with a message about earlier diagnosis.
Hugo Chung, 29, from Finsbury Park, will run the 26-mile course in tribute to his mother and to raise funds for Sarcoma UK.
Early in 2023, Anna, a hospital pharmacist originally from Hong Kong, had symptoms of heavy bleeding, which was unusual for her age. Her haemoglobin levels were low and she felt faint.
She visited A&E for blood transfusions and received ten pints over a few weeks. There were also minor gynaecological surgeries to try to find a cause for the bleeding.
A growth was found in the wall of her uterus. In May 2023, she was diagnosed at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead with uterine sarcoma. She then had a full hysterectomy. Her whole uterus, including a tumour, was removed.
In July, she was back on her feet and in relatively good health. Scans found suspect tissue in her breasts and Anna received minor surgeries. However, Hugo said there was a failure to regularly scan her lower abdomen.
In 2024, Anna felt swelling in her stomach. There was much liquid in her stomach that had to be drained during visits to A&E.
She was then given the terrible news that there was a mass in her stomach – the cancer had spread. In May 2024, she underwent chemotherapy for ten weeks. Anna responded well to the treatment and, in September 2024, was well enough to watch Hugo take part in a half-marathon. The mass in her stomach had shrunk to a third of its size.
But, by Christmas 2024, Anna had further bloating and her health deteriorated. By February, she had been admitted to University College Hospital in London, where she had worked as a pharmacist.
In March, she was told that nothing more could be done for her. Anna returned home, but her swelling was so bad that she was in the hospital for the last couple of weeks of her life. She died aged 63.
Hugo, who is head of IT at a renewables company, said: ‘Earlier diagnosis would have made a big difference in terms of treatment. My mother felt she hadn’t been treated fairly or properly. There was a failure to scan her lower body.’
He added: ‘Mum was a strong woman, independent, not afraid to go against the grain.’ He said she also had a strong Christian faith and was kind and caring. ‘Lots of her NHS colleagues went to her funeral. She had touched a lot of lives,’ said Hugo.
He is running the marathon for Sarcoma UK. He said: ‘I’d like to do something meaningful in memory of my mother every year and to raise money for Team Sarcoma.’
Sarcoma UK’s Head of Public Fundraising, Louisa Morgan, said: ‘Anna’s story is one we hear too often – a rare cancer, a late diagnosis, a family left with unanswered questions. Hugo running in his mother’s memory means so much to us and to everyone affected by sarcoma. He has turned his grief into something powerful, and we’re incredibly proud to have him running for Team Sarcoma. The money he raises will help fund vital research into sarcoma – a cancer that is still too often diagnosed too late.’
To donate to Hugo, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/hugo-chung-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=020
