A single mother of six who was told she had inoperable breast cancer, says she feels like ‘it’s a Christmas miracle’, after she obtained a second opinion and underwent surgery. It was only last month she was told her breast cancer had returned and nothing could be done, however she was ready to do anything she could to watch her children grow up.
Mum and parish councillor, Tracey Poulton, 37, from Brockworth, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2022. With intense treatment, plus a double mastectomy, she was given the all clear at the end of the year.
Tracey noticed lumps on the right side of her breast area, which had initially been thought to have been caused by radiotherapy and the double mastectomy. However, Tracey was sent for a scan, and the results had shown the cancer had returned and she was told it was a terminal illness.
READ MORE: Brockworth mum-of-six ‘given hope’ after terminal cancer diagnosis
Devastated, yet determined, Tracey sought a second opinion from Nuffield Health, which is a private hospital in Cheltenham. She was put in touch with surgical consultant Charlie Chen, who looked at Tracy’s scans, and agreed to carry out an operation to remove the cancer.
Tracey said: “I had the operation on December 5, which cost about £20,000. I was out of hospital after a couple of days, and recovery was going well.
“On Monday I was in the shower, and I thought one of the wounds looked a little funny. I sent Charlie a WhatsApp of the wound, and he told me it looked completely okay, but go in the next day at 11.10am.”
Tracey was rather surprised to see Mr Chen in the waiting room, to greet her as she arrived. She was not expecting to see him, and Mr Chen walked up to Tracey and took her hand.
She said: “I just went to the hospital to have my wounds checked, and Charlie was in the waiting room ready for me to arrive.
“He walked over to me and took my hand and said, ‘It’s gone’. I was confused and I said, ‘What’s gone’. He told me they had managed to remove all of the cancer.
“I was not expecting to get my results until the next day. I was then taken to his office where he explained the outcome of the results, and he handed me a sheet of paper which explained what had been found.”
Tracey was told, of all the cancer which had been removed, 90 per cent of it was dead, and 10 per cent of it was live. The surgical team were also able to remove a safe margin of tissue as a preventative measure.
Tracey said: “I had faith in Charlie from the off. From the first conversation we had through to him holding my hand to give me the news the cancer had been removed.
“I asked Charlie for hope to see my children grow up, and he has given me it. Charlie gave me cuddles, hope and held my hand, and the Christmas miracle the children and I needed.”
Tracey is still overwhelmed at the support which she has been given by those who live in the village of Brockworth. People she does not even know have stopped her in the street to ask how she is doing.
Tracey said: “I am speechless, gobsmacked and humbled at how many people have raised money so I can have the operation. We are half-way there now to being able to pay for it.
“People I do not even know have held coffee mornings and raised £200. My sister is on it as well with raising money with Bingo nights and loads of other things.
“I have had people I don’t even know, stop me in the street to ask me how I am getting on. Going round the supermarket with my Dad took about 45 minutes longer than it should of done.”
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Tracey is looking forward to going back to work. However it may be a little while before she can.
Tracey said: “I have to do physio on my arm before I go back to work at Morrisons, so I can move my arm a little better.
“I am broke, and having an Only Fans account is out the question now. You need to have boobies to have one of those, and I do not have boobies.
“I would like to thank everyone, especially in my village for all the help and support they have given me. I cannot believe how much money has been raised so far, and a massive thank you to my sister Jessica for everything she is doing.”
To donate to help Tracey raise the rest of the money for the operation she had, please visit here.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
