Emma, aged 39, lives in Warrington and previously worked in the travel sector. She co-runs a Support Group and, seven and a half years clear after treatment for liposarcoma, is a keen blogger.
In 2012, I was enjoying life, working for the national airline, and going to amazing places with my lovely man (my now husband).
Life changed when I discovered a 7.7lb tumour in my thigh. At first, I didn’t notice anything different about my leg, until I was trying on holiday clothes.
After several tests, I was diagnosed with a liposarcoma, and underwent surgery to have the tumour cut out of my thigh – along with almost two muscles, followed by 30 sessions of radiotherapy.
Then, just a year later, I had a recurrence in both lungs. I now had to have chemotherapy, lost my hair and was quite poorly. I had to have two surgeries, one on each lung to remove the remaining tumours. Six months later, as we felt things had settled down, my husband and I eloped to Antigua. Ten weeks after returning home, I had yet another recurrence (in just one lung), and I genuinely felt like sarcoma was going to be my life, forever.
Things have been looking up since then, and I have since celebrated my seventh year cancer free. When faced with cancer, it’s hard to plan for the future but I’ve had a change of career, bought a lovely new house and still enjoying lots of holidays.
I continue to co-run the Sarcoma Patients Facebook page and the Merseyside & Cheshire Support group.
I no longer work in travel but it’s still a huge passion of mine. I am enjoying life and will continue to do so!