Being a blood donor saved my life

Her 48th pint of donated blood was to a be a donation that would save her own life.

Mrs Smith was shocked to be told that the haemoglobin level in her blood was very low.

The 59-year-old, from Albrighton, was sent for tests at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford that led to the shocking discovery that she had bowel cancer.

Mrs Smith said today that being a blood donor saved her life after undergoing surgery to remove her tumour.

The mother-of-two, who runs a small construction company in Albrighton with her husband Tony, is now backing a new awareness campaign from Cancer Research UK, highlighting the power of legacy giving in saving lives.

She is urging people across the Black Country to leave a lasting gift for future generations by including a donation to Cancer Research UK in their will.

Mrs Smith, who has a son, aged 35, and a daughter, 32, is currently undergoing further chemotherapy treatment after follow-up scans revealed traces of cancer.

She said: "Being diagnosed with cancer turned my life upside down. It was a terrible shock, but I'm happy to say I'm still here."

It was in October 2010 that Linda went along as usual to the mobile blood donor unit in Albrighton to make her 48th donation.

She said: "I have been a regular blood donor since I was 18. I have only had to miss one scheduled appointment since then and that was when my daughter was graduating from the RAF.

"I went along to the mobile in Albrighton as usual and they did the prick test which they always do when you're about to give blood.

"On this occasion they told me the test indicated my haemoglobin level was really low, below eight, when it should be much higher than that.

"I went straight round to my GP who immediately got onto the case and referred me to the Princess Royal Hospital where they did a number of tests."

The tests confirmed that Mrs Smith had bowel cancer in December 2010.

"I had none of the symptoms of bowel cancer, it was purely because my blood level was low. I just wouldn't have known if I hadn't been a blood donor," she added.

She was referred to The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for surgery to remove her tumour, which was found to be at an advanced stage.

She said: "It was beginning to break through the wall of my bowel into another part of my body, so it was good they found it when they did."

Surgeons also removed about a dozen lymph nodes, one of which was found to indicate cancer, so she was given chemotherapy treatment for six months.

Mrs Smith continued to have regular scans and tests following her operation, and in 2014 she was found to have tiny tumours in her lymph glands. As a result, she was given another course of chemotherapy and has just started her third cycle of treatment.

"I am so thankful for all the care I receive from The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, where I receive my chemotherapy treatment, and the Princess Royal Hospital where I undergo regular checks like CT scans. But it's due to all the research into cancer that people like me are able to live with it.

She added: "By leaving a gift in their will – no matter how big or small the donation – people in Shropshire can give many more families like mine the incredible gift of hope.

She said: "Success stories are not possible without Cancer Research UK's groundbreaking work, which in turn relies on everyone who donates much needed funds.

"That's why I'm supporting this vitally important campaign. I can't think of a better way to say thank you, than by helping to raise funds for research that will create a brighter future for generations to come."

Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, Cancer Research UK spent more than £10 million in the Midlands last year on some of the UK's leading scientific and clinical research.

This work is wide-ranging, from understanding the causes of cancer and investigating new ways to prevent it, to detecting it earlier and developing better treatments.

Jane Redman, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for the West Midlands, said Linda's story was not uncommon. People often find out they have cancer unexpectedly and their lives change dramatically.

She said: "We are very grateful to Linda for telling her story and highlighting the need to fund research into the disease.

"Survival rates have doubled in the past 40 years and today half of those diagnosed with cancer will survive. But half is not enough. There are over 200 types of cancer and we won't stop until we find cures for them all.

"The more research we are able to do the sooner that day will come and that's why we urgently need support. So we're calling on people across Shropshire to consider including a legacy gift for Cancer Research UK in their will and help us write an end to cancer."