Julie Hambleton

Julie Hambleton

January 17, 2025

Cancer Treatment Leads to the Removal of Eight Organs in Woman’s Body

Faye Louise, a young woman from Horsham, West Sussex, in the UK took on a life-altering journey following a shocking diagnosis of a rare cancer. She went from what it seemed like being a healthy individual one day to an incredible cancer battle involving what is described as ‘the mother of all surgeries,’ the next. Faye’s incredible story serves as one of resilience and hope for other people fighting their own health and cancer battles.

Who is Faye Louise?

Faye Louise
Image Credit: Cancer Research UK

Faye Louise is a model and flight dispatcher at Gatwick Airport. In 2023, she found her life turned upside down when doctors discovered a tumor in her appendix. She had gone in for a routine procedure to remove some cysts from her ovaries, when the operating surgeons discovered a rare cancer growing in her appendix. At the young age of 39, Faye says getting a cancer diagnosis was unexpected and incredibly scary. This was especially considering by all accounts she felt quite healthy, with only very painful periods as a tip-off that something may be going on. Despite the initial shock and uncertainty, Faye has demonstrated strength and determination throughout her cancer journey, and is using her experience to raise awareness and encourage others who also may be going through their own cancer journey.

Faye’s Diagnosis

Following the discovery of a tumor in her appendix, Faye when through an excruciating waiting period while they did biopsies on the tissue to determine exactly what the cancer was. Finally, she received the devastating news: pseudomyxoma peritonei—a rare cancer characterized by the accumulation of a jelly-like substance in the abdomen. Though the diagnosis was hard to take, the following treatment protocol would be an even bigger pill to swallow.

‘This is around a 2 to 3 in a million per year diagnosis, which obviously makes it extremely rare.’ She told The Patient Story. ‘It behaves in a very strange way. I had it for 5 years and I didn’t know it was there.‘ 

All About Pseudomyxoma Peritonei

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare type of cancer that causes tumors to grow in the abdomen. It is characterized by the accumulation of mucin-producing tumor cells that spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Mucin is the jelly-like substance previously mentioned. Unfortunately for Faye, the tumor had already ruptured. This meant that she would require immediate and extensive medical intervention.

‘I just went in for an ovarian cyst which had grown to 17cm on my ovary. And then I came home with a cancer diagnosis. It was totally unexpected. It was a shock.’ She explained. ‘The only thing that was causing me problems was the cyst itself, bloating, tummy ache. And I just thought it was my period pains…the reason they found the tumor is because they agreed that when the gyno was in there, obviously doing the surgery for that part, that the bowel surgeon would join in on the surgery towards the end and he would come and take my appendix out. Just so I wouldn’t have any further complications later on down the line with appendicitis and have to have another surgery.‘

The Cancer Treatment Plan

Faye Louise undergoing treatment in hospital bed
Image Credit: Faye Louise

Faye’s treatment was not for the faint of heart. It involved a complex and arduous process that culminated in what those in the oncological medical field as ‘the mother of all surgeries.’ The procedure involved the removal of eight of her organs, including her spleen, gallbladder, appendix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, belly button, greater and lesser omentum, and finally part of her liver. As if that wasn’t enough, this highly intricate surgery also involved scraping of her diaphragm and pelvis. Though the risk of the surgery wasn’t overly high, it was a terrifying thing to go into. On top of that, she knew that the recovery afterwards would be one of the hardest things she would ever do in her life.

‘I underwent something called “mother of all surgery”. Complete cytoreduction surgery, CRS with heated chemotherapy, HIPEC. The operation took 11 hours, and I had to lose 8 organs to ensure that they got all the cancer out of my body.’

Faye is Cancer Free

Following the incredibly invasive and long operating, Faye received incredible news: She was cancer-free, or at least there was no evidence of any cancer left in her body. The news was of course a monumental relief and a cause for celebration. Hearing that her surgery went so successfully gave Faye a sense of hope and resolve. Now she had to take on the next challenge, as she embarked on the road to recovery. The journey isn’t completely over, however. Every year for the next 20 years, Faye will have to get a scan to check for reoccurring cancer. The timing of this scan is unfortunately just before the Christmas holidays, making this time of year particularly stressful for herself and her family. Until then, she considers herself NED (no evidence of disease) rather than cancer-free.

‘Trying to process that I’m under scans for 20 years is mentally difficult. It’s like you said, with normal cancers, you’re in remission for 5 years and that’s it. You know, you’re free. Off you go. So yeah, to have 20 years hanging over my head is very difficult to process and get my head around.’

Symptoms to Watch For and Self-Advocacy

Faye’s story serves as an important reminder to us all to be well attuned to one’s body, as well as to always advocate for one’s health. Recognizing early warning signs that something isn’t right and not allowing doctors to wave your concerns off as not a big deal are of utmost importance. Seeking timely medical attention can make a big difference in detecting and treating conditions like pseudomyxoma peritonei. It can, quite literally, be the difference between life and death.

The Bottom Line

Faye’s infallible spirit and determination have steadied her through this challenging health crisis, leading to a remarkable journey of survival and triumph over cancer. Her resilience, courage, and positivity in the face of adversity serve as an inspiration to all. Most importantly, it serves as a reminder to us all to ensure that we are getting strange symptoms checked out, completing regular check-ups with the doctor, and advocating for our own health.

Read More: Is Cancer Reversible? New Treatment May Transform Cancer Cells into Healthy Ones