Daily trek for treatment was so exhausting

Photo: Picture: DARREN ROBINSON

Dawn Heath and her son, Marcus, who helped her through her treatment

Oldham Chronicle supports the Oldham Christes Appeal

A MOTHER who battled through extreme tiredness to make a daily journey to the Christie Hospital for radiotherapy treatment for four weeks has spoken about the ordeal.

Dawn Heath (34) had a young son of five when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma eight years ago.

She discovered she had cancer purely by chance after she went to the doctor’s to accompany her mother.

“I had lost a lot of weight and my mum asked the doctor to check me over because she thought I had swollen glands,” recalled Dawn. “I said I was all right, but my mother insisted and the doctor touched my neck and told me to go straight to hospital.”

Within days, Dawn, who was 26 at the time, was being treated for cancer. She had chemotherapy in Oldham then had to make a daily trek to Withington for radiotherapy.

“The journey was terrible,” she said. “At first I thought I was coping all right, then, after a couple of days, I got so tired I could hardly stay awake.

“It was very stressful wondering if I would be held up in traffic, and I physically wouldn’t have been able to drive there myself.

“I couldn’t have done it without friends and family who took time off work and put themselves out to drive me there every day except one, when I had to get a taxi,” she said.

“Marcus was only five at the time and he helped me through it. He was like a little nurse. I had to have blood transfusions every week for six months at the Royal Oldham Hospital, and Marcus used to visit me a lot.”

Dawn told her story in support of the Christie’s at Oldham campaign, saying: “It would have been so much easier had I been able to have my treatment in Oldham.

“The 408 bus goes right past my house and to the Royal Oldham Hospital, or I could have caught a bus into Oldham and got a taxi from there which would have only cost a couple of pounds.

Dawn, who is now in remission, added: “Since I had cancer I always put money in collections for the Christie, and I sent a cheque for what I could afford after I was ill.”

Urging people to give what they can, she said: “It’s brilliant that Oldham will have a radiotherapy centre.”


TO get help or advice in setting up a fund-raising event, contact the appeals office on 0161-446 3988, visit www.christies.org  or text OLDHAM CHRISTIE followed by your name and address to 07971-456824 to receive a fund-raising pack. The pack will have details on how to make sure your money goes to the Christie At Oldham Appeal. Cheques should be made payable to The Christie (Oldham Evening Chronicle). If sending cash, enclose a covering letter to say it is for the Christie At Oldham campaign.