Ann Coates was diagnosed with cancer of the womb and is now facing major struggles to keep her house warm as the chemo and her illness leave her feeling the winter chill.
However, she says her main fear now is the rising cost of energy which could make for a difficult winter ahead. Speaking about when she started to rapidly lose weight, Ann said: “At first everyone complimented me and told me to share my secret. She added: “It’s a shock to your system. You think you’re fine and have to tell yourself you’re really not.”
“With the weight loss you get flabby and I have to hold my stomach. My stomach also gets really swollen so if you’re standing, it’s as if something is pulling you down, I hold it to make it easier.” “It gives me breathing space to concentrate on fighting cancer.” Having done two of her six chemotherapies in the last six weeks, Ann has to do two different treatments in a day to fight the different cancers, one in the morning and the next in the afternoon.
“After the chemo, I can’t get up from the seat by myself,” she said. “I’m very lucky, because my mom and dad are visiting from South Africa at the moment and my mum is helping me while also caring for my dad, who has dementia.Ann’s husband and family are always by her side during her cancer battle. Her twin brothers Norman and Rodney Francis, both 50, have been supporting her too. “I’ve got an amazing support system,” she said.