Laura Dawson, a 44-year-old mother of two, dealt with bloating and morning fatigue for several months, which ultimately led to a heartbreaking diagnosis that shortened her life.
Dawson, who lived in London, thought her symptoms were related to perimenopause, but she actually had stage three bowel cancer.
It wasn’t until she felt severe abdominal pain one night that she rushed to get medical help at the A&E.
Dawson had to have emergency surgery to clear a blockage in her bowel. Although the surgery was considered successful, further tests showed she had cancer.
Her husband Ben shared that Dawson went through six months of chemotherapy, and the first scans looked hopeful.
“We received one clear scan in August, and everything seemed to be going well. But then in September, we found out it had returned and spread. That was incredibly heartbreaking,” Ben recalled.
After her cancer came back, Dawson attempted different chemotherapy treatments, but two months ago, she chose to stop the treatment because it made her feel worse. Instead, she wanted to focus on spending her last days with her loved ones.
St Christopher’s Hospice, located in Sydenham, south-east London, provided support to Dawson, enabling her to spend more time at home in a way that was both comfortable and dignified.
Dawson died at St Christopher’s Hospice on Sunday, June 29, with her husband by her side.
“The care Laura received at home from the caregivers at St Christopher’s allowed her to spend her last two weeks at home comfortably and with dignity. Then, during the nearly three weeks she was at the hospice, she was incredibly well cared for – everyone there was so compassionate and caring – which made Laura’s final days really good for her. We are forever thankful that such a positive experience could arise from such a difficult situation.”
Reflecting on her condition, Dawson had previously mentioned, “Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks. As a society, we tend to avoid the topic of dying.
“By doing this, we reinforce negative perceptions about death. People often believe that death will always be painful and traumatic, but it doesn’t have to be.
“Deep down, we all understand that we will die. Cancer has made me confront this reality. Since then, I’ve lived more fully than I ever have, and that has been a true gift.”
She passed away feeling loved and cared for.
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