Latchingdon woman lucky to be alive after blood cancer

Tesco delivery driver Gill Winsor, from Latchingdon, was exercising on a rare day off work during lockdown in 2020 when she found herself becoming increasingly breathless.

"I just put it down to my fitness waning a bit,’ said Gill, now 63.

"Then I noticed a lump in my groin. I contacted the doctor who gave me antibiotics thinking my lymph node was up due to an infection."

The antibiotics made no difference and Gill started feeling worse, with reddish-brown bruises appearing on her arms.

After further tests, a CT scan and bone marrow biopsy, Gill was given the shocking news she had acute myeloid leukaemia. AML is a type of blood cancer which can affect anyone of any age.

Common symptoms include fatigue, bruising or bleeding, and repeated infections.

Other symptoms include feeling weak or breathless, fever or night sweats, and bone or joint pain.

Gill Winsor lost her hair during treatment (Image: Leukaemia UK)

AML is the second most common type of leukaemia, with around 3,000 people diagnosed each year.

Gill began treatment at St Bartholomew's Hospital in September 2020.

Surgery is not an option for AML, so patients often undergo multiple rounds of intensive chemo.

Gill said: "In February 2021 I went back to hospital for a three-week stay in which I had a stem cell transplant.

"I had not lost my hair with my previous treatment, but knew at this stage that I would.

"On March 1, I received a total of nine bags of stem cells donated by a 100 per cent match who was from America."

Gill, who had always loved cycling, swimming and running, started using the exercise bike and weights in hospital while she was recovering.

Gill Winsor (Image: Leukaemia UK)

She said: "I met some other sufferers who I became good friends with. Unfortunately, two of these people had complications and didn’t make it through.

"This made me realise how lucky I have been with my recovery."

Gill signed up to run the 2022 London Marathon for Leukaemia UK.

She raised more than £3,000 and completed the race in 5 hours 22 minutes on the anniversary of the date she was told she was in remission.

Ahead of World AML Day on Friday, April 21, Gill has joined Leukaemia UK in urging people to be aware of the potential symptoms of the disease, and visit their GP if they suspect something is wrong.

Gill Winsor had a tattoo to mark the day of her diagnosis (Image: Leukaemia UK)

The devastating disease claims more than 2,600 lives a year in the UK and has a five-year survival rate of just 15 per cent.

Leukaemia UK chief exec Fiona Hazell said: "As with many diseases, earlier diagnosis improves the chances of successful treatment.

"At Leukaemia UK, we hear from many patients who have received the devastating diagnosis of AML who say they wish they had put together their pattern of symptoms earlier.

"We want to encourage people to trust their instincts when something is wrong and visit their GP to push for that all important blood test, which is the only way to properly diagnose AML."

For more information visit leukaemiauk.org.uk.