Mum’s warning after ‘barely visible’ change on nail turned out to be terminal cancer that spread to brain – Health

Warning: This article contains graphic medical images that some readers may find distressing.

A mother who was diagnosed with stage four cancer while pregnant and just weeks away from her due date has issued a warning to others.

Doctors told Kelly Heather in April 2024 that she was in remission, seven years after her first diagnosis in 2017.

And just weeks later, the 38-year-old found out she was pregnant, which she called a positive moment amid her health battle.

However, on December 2, Kelly had a seizure while 35 weeks pregnant and was told she had a brain tumor.

Kelly says she was previously denied further testing after being given the all-clear because her cancer was believed to be stage zero, or non-communicable.

Originally from Gravesend, Kent, she urged people to take more tests if they are at any stage of cancer, to ensure no one has to go through what she did.

She explained: “I was told repeatedly that I no longer had cancer – or that my cancer was not going to spread.

“I tried to ask for more tests, but was told no. I wish I was that annoying patient who carries on.

“Now I find myself in a situation where I’m afraid of leaving my children without a mother, and we have to have very difficult conversations about the future,” she admitted emotionally.

The mother of four said she never expected to take on the role, noting: “If I can help one person get a diagnosis sooner, it would be worth it.”

She first went to the GP in 2017 when she spotted a strange line on her nail, and despite being told there were “no cancer cells visible”, she was monitored every three months.

But as the line grew darker and thicker, he was eventually diagnosed with melanoma and had the nail bed removed, after learning no cancer was left behind.

In just six months, something that looked like a wart then appeared on her finger, and doctors informed her that the cancer had returned and she would have to have the finger removed.

By March 2020, her finger had been removed and doctors said she was given the all clear. Although she wanted further analysis, as her cancer was classified as stage zero, Queen Victoria Hospital refused the request.

Two years later, Kelly discovered a lump in her armpit, discovering the cancer had spread to the lymphatic system and required surgery to remove 20 lymph nodes.

He was told that only one of them had metastatic malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

Kelly had undergone a year of immunotherapy at Maidstone Hospital and, as her tests cleared, she was placed in remission in April 2024.

However, in December, she noticed something was wrong.

“My leg started moving and shaking uncontrollably, and within a minute I had a full-blown seizure in the kitchen,” Kelly recalled.

“Honestly, I thought I was dead. I thought I was dying and all I thought about was that my children had lost their mother and my baby was going to die.

“It’s one of the most traumatic things I’ve ever experienced,” she admitted.

The tumor discovered was later confirmed to be stage four brain melanoma, but she still managed to give birth to her fourth child, Te-Jay, by cesarean section on December 9 last year.

And just 10 days later, she underwent brain surgery.

She explained: “They removed most of the tumor, but they couldn’t remove it entirely without causing permanent paralysis on my left side.

“So a small part was left behind, which is why I have to undergo targeted radiotherapy to kill the remaining tumor in the brain.”

For this reason, she takes two immunotherapy drugs and says there is a 50 percent chance it will work.

“I don’t think I’ve fully accepted the fact that I have terminal cancer,” she admitted.

She explained that “no mom” should ever be in this situation and aims to stay strong for her children Preston, 17, Brendan, 15, Rhea, 7, and Te-Jay.

Kelly added: “I’m pushing for additional testing no matter what stage you are at.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: “Ensuring patients receive the right personalized cancer treatment as quickly as possible is our priority.

“While we are unable to comment on individual cases, we encourage any patient who may have a question or concern to speak to the clinical teams providing their care or our Patient Advice and Liaison Service .”

You can donate to Kelly’s GoFundMe here.