Mum, 36, 'might not see her son grow up' after shock diagnosis

A mum who was diagnosed with incurable cancer "doesn't know how much time she has left" as she strives to make the most of every day with her 10-year-old son Henry. Stacy Payne, 36, from Warrington, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2021 after doctors spotted some unusual shadowing during a routine scan.

The mum-of-one had been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - a connective tissue disorder which affects her skin and joints - two years earlier. But she was stunned when further tests found tumours in both of her lungs, as well as traces of cancer in her lymph nodes.

Stacy, a teaching assistant, had never smoked, and had none of the typical symptoms associated with lung cancer such as a chesty cough. But she has an abnormal ALK gene that means she is more likely to develop certain cancers, including lung cancer.

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She is currently receiving targeted therapy treatment at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, where a recent scan found her tumours had shrunk, with only a few traces remaining. But doctors warned that, due to her gene abnormality, Stacy's tumours will grow again - and there is no cure once they begin to spread further.

Stacy said: “I may not see my son grow up, I don’t know how much time I have left with him. My family took it harder than me at first, I was in shock and they were breaking down around me. It wasn’t until later on that night when it hit me. I said to my grandparents, I don’t want to die.

“But my most recent scans have shown that the tumour has shrunk, so the treatment is working amazingly well, and I am being monitored regularly. I know it’s not gone, and it will come back, but for now it’s reduced in size and it’s what I call ‘stable Mabel’, which is the best we can hope for.

“Right now, I’m doing everything I can to make sure that when Henry looks back, he doesn’t just think “Oh I had a mum that was really poorly”, but he looks back and thinks “Wow my mum was amazing and we did amazing things.” People say they are saving for a rainy day, but when is that? I am thankful to cancer for giving me the opportunity to see that the rainy day won’t come if you don’t take it and make the most of the here and now.”

There are side effects to Stacy’s treatment, including fatigue and nausea. She has also gained five stone in weight since her diagnosis. As part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Stacy is sharing her story to call for more support to tackle the disease, which is the UK’s biggest cause of cancer death.

Smoking is the biggest cause of the disease, but not everyone who gets the disease is a smoker - every year in England, around 1,700 people who have never smoked are diagnosed.

Researchers found the average one-year survival rate for women with lung cancer was 49.8%, falling to 25% after five years. For men the average survival rate was even lower, at 41% after one year, and 17.4% after five.

More than 8 in 10 people with lung cancer who are prescribed cancer drugs in the UK receive at least one drug that Cancer Research has helped to develop. In the last decade, the charity has invested over £231 million in lung cancer research. This includes the TRACERx study, which has revealed critical insights into how lung cancer evolves and spreads, and the development of LungVax, the world’s first vaccine designed to prevent lung cancer.

Stacy, a patient representative for Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, said: “Cancer steals time and it steals precious moments. I don’t know how much time I have with my son.

"Cancer sucks, it’s awful. But I have accepted what’s happening. Yes, there’s no cure, yes, I will leave this earthly realm significantly earlier than I’d intended to. But it’s what I leave behind that’s important to me now and I think it’s crucial to talk openly about cancer and raise awareness.

“It’s heartening to hear the mini victories and big wins that are being made in the fight against lung cancer. That’s down to the power of research, which is clear in the number of lives that have been saved and the new treatments available, like mine.

"Cancer Research UK scientists are working to ensure more people survive and that’s something we should all get behind. Progress has been made, but there’s more that can be done, and we need to show our support because every single life matters.”

Despite gains in understanding the disease, lung cancer survival continues to be lower than most other cancer types. Currently, only one in 10 people will survive for 10 years or more. This is partly because lung cancer symptoms can often be mistaken for less serious conditions, meaning many people are diagnosed late.

Jemma Humphreys of Cancer Research UK said: “From uncovering the causes of lung cancer to pioneering drugs to treat it and campaigning for change, we’re powering progress for thousands of people affected by lung cancer – all thanks to the generosity and commitment of our supporters. But our work isn’t done.

“We want to bring about a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer – no matter who they are or where they’re from. So, we’re grateful to Stacy for sharing her story and helping to highlight why we must go further and faster.

“This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we hope people will do what they can to show their support - whether that’s backing our Smokefree UK campaign or donating to help our scientists make the next big breakthrough.”