This is me, Dina Lazarus, drinking champagne at a family celebration in June 2009 just two weeks before my world was shattered by the news that I had stage 4 bowel cancer.
I was young, had a great job as a writer, a beautiful home and loving family and friends but had been in agony for months. My GP had dismissed it as ‘just a spot of IBS’ until a huge lump came up in my neck. Finally, so weak that I could barely walk, she referred me to University College Hospital (UCH) where doctors told me that not only did I have cancer but that it had spread to four other places. Without treatment, I had three to six months to live.
I was devastated, weak, ill and more scared than you can ever imagine. I couldn’t stop thinking of death and the hideous thought or my parents having to bury me. But then I met my amazing oncologist - Professor Hochhauser. Tragically, he said that the cancer had been left too long for a cure but he promised me that he would do everything humanly possible to keep it at bay. He gave me the will to fight.
Today, 23 months on, I’ve endured a gruelling 23 chemotherapies (and counting) and two major operations but I now look and feel really well. This remarkable man, my Angel of a cancer nurse, Jacquie, all of the chemo nurses and the whole team, have been my salvation. Their dedication humbles me. I’m now living with cancer, not dying from it. Every day, when I wake up and see the sun shining, I feel grateful to be here.
Please help me to say thank you to these special people and, in turn, help future cancer sufferers. I want to raise money for a ‘Winter Garden’ at the hospital’s new state-of-the-art UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre due to open in March 2012.
The garden will offer a tranquil place for patients to relax amongst flowers and trees. I’d love you to come to my Time Out sponsored auction which I’m organising in conjunction with UCLH Hospitals Charitable Foundation (registered charity no: 1077638). The invitation-only event is scheduled for June 16 at the beautiful Gallery at Foyles Bookshop in Charing Cross Road.
I really hope you will be able to come to what promises to be a very special night. If you are unable to make it, please make a donation to this wonderful cause.
Thank you so much
Dina xxx
