NHS gives "tumour" woman 20 years of hell

For 20 years she lived under a death sentence, having been told that the tumour inside her was terminal cancer. Mary Stranack believed that her survival against such odds was a miracle. But it wasn't. The grandmother has now discovered that the tumour was in fact a harmless cyst. In a five-hour operation at Poole Hospital in Dorset, surgeons removed a one-and-a-half stone [21lb.] fibroid from her stomach. 'They told me it was a benign fibroid and not cancer - it was amazing,' said Mrs Stranack, 58. 'I came out of hospital on my birthday and began buying new clothes.'

Her years of torment began in 1988 after she went to hospital complaining of a swollen stomach. At the time her six sons were aged between three and 19 and doctors suggested she may be expecting a baby with her husband Bob. Mrs Stanack said: 'I went to see the doctor and he said I could be pregnant but I knew I wasn't so I had to go to hospital that very afternoon.

They did a scan and a blood test and it came back that I had ovarian and stomach cancer. 'They told me I only had months to live. I wasn't asked to go back for treatment - there was no chance for me apparently. I was devastated and said I would go home and pray for a miracle.' Years passed while she waited for the end to come. She was invited back to the hospital for a reassessment but says she was too frightened to attend.

She said: 'One day I told Bob: "I want everything to go on as it was before. I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me." But gradually the years passed and my weight went up and up. 'After 15 years, I was a size 24 and huge but I didn't have any pain.' It was only when she was diagnosed with anaemia and thyroid problems earlier this year that she finally asked to be examined again.

A spokesman for Poole Hospital, where Mrs Stranack was originally diagnosed as terminally ill, refused to discuss her patient history, but said: 'We are delighted to hear that Mrs Stranack is doing so well.' Mr Stranack, a crane operator, added: 'It's been 20 years of hell.'

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