A Sunderland nurse who specialises in treating bone marrow patients will take on her first half-marathon next month after her husband who has incurable bone cancer was treated at the hospital where she works.
Lauren Conlin, 34, who is a clinical nurse specialist in bone marrow transplant at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, is running the AJ Bell Great North Run to raise funds for Sarcoma UK.
Lauren’s husband Bryan, 38, had been suffering from chest pain in 2022 and made several visits to A&E departments. He was told he might have acid reflux, but the pain persisted, and he returned to casualty only to lose all feeling from the chest down. He couldn’t stand and was rushed for a full-body MRI scan at Sunderland Hospital. This found a tumour at the top of his spine, which was causing spinal cord compression, and Bryan had emergency surgery at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle to remove it. He had not noticed the lump before. Bryan spent a month at the Royal Victoria Infirmary learning to walk again following his operation.
Analysis of the tumour found that he had Ewing sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Bryan was put on 14 cycles of intensive inpatient chemotherapy at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at the Freeman Hospital and six weeks of radiotherapy. He went into remission in September 2023 but, six months later, more tumours were found on a CT scan – his sarcoma had returned but this time he had seven tumours in his lungs. Bryan had more intense inpatient chemotherapy and was part of a trial to receive an oral targeted therapy. Sadly, a further scan showed growth in his tumours and he was told his cancer is incurable. Bryan is now on palliative chemotherapy.
Even though being a nurse has meant some benefit in dealing with Bryan’s illness, Lauren said it has taken a toll on the family, which includes children Theo, eight, and Willow, four. ‘It has had an impact on work-life balance and childcare. It is a lot to deal with emotionally, very stressful.’
Bryan, who worked at a car factory, was fit and active before his cancer. He was a keen cricketer and cyclist. Despite his illness, he still manages to play some golf.
Now Lauren is taking part in the AJ Bell Great North Run for the first time on 7 September with her sister Olivia Boal to raise funds for charity Sarcoma UK.
Of the run, she said: ‘I want to make him proud as he has never complained throughout all of this. He has faced it like a soldier and just got on with it and continued to be a dad to our children. Our future is unclear but raising funds for Sarcoma UK will help support vital research and support for people affected by sarcoma across the UK.’
Kate Quillin, Acting Head of Research at Sarcoma UK, said: ‘We’ve supported five research projects focused on improving treatments for Ewing sarcoma, including an exciting study led by Dr Fiona Errington-Mais at the University of Leeds. This work looks into ‘cancer-bursting’ viruses, which can kill cancer cells directly or by activating the patient’s immune system. This type of immunotherapy has shown promise in other cancer types and could open the door to new options for Ewing sarcoma patients in the future. Bryan’s experience – going from remission to multiple lung tumours – highlights exactly why we desperately need these new treatment options. The money Lauren raises through her Great North Run will help fund more vital research like this, bringing us closer to clinical trials and ultimately better outcomes for families facing this devastating diagnosis.’
To donate to Lauren, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/lauren-conlin-1
