Nan's 'double shock' after being given incurable diagnosis

A nan said it is thanks to those around her she continues to smile despite living with an incurable condition. Elaine Kinsella, who lives in Oxton, Wirral, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, in January 2021.

What followed the diagnosis was six months of “aggressive treatment” consisting of chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant for the 60-year-old. The nan-of-two, who owns Hanover Street’s Lunya with her husband Peter, has been in remission for three years. However, on Tuesday, September 3, she received some unfortunate news.

The former University of Liverpool student told the ECHO: “It’s really hard to remain positive all the time - especially on days like this. I had some blood results and they aren’t brilliant.

“There is a suggestion my cancer might be coming back so I have to have a bone-marrow next week. From there they will decide if I need to start treatment again and that’s the problem. The cancer hasn’t affected me that much but the treatment and its side effects do.”

The Wirral-based education psychologist, originally from Sheffield, initially went to the doctors with back pain. However, following blood tests she was diagnosed with cancer. Elaine said it was a “double shock” because although her condition is treatable, it is incurable.

She said: “I felt so down and low - every morning I woke up thinking about it and every night I would go to bed doing the same. It is a relapsing-remitting cancer so my thoughts are just about when is it going to come back.

"It feels a little like the lottery because there are people who are in remission for two months and others who are in it for twenty years but eventually, it does tend to come back.”

Elaine’s multiple myeloma diagnosis at Clatterbridge Hospital came after she was initially diagnosed with stage one thyroid cancer at the start of the pandemic. As a result of this, she lost half of her thyroid in the bid to remove the cancer.

For now, until further results come back, she has the support of her family and friends to rely on. She said: “My grandchildren, Brody and Luke, just give me so much energy and something to keep fighting for me. I don’t see them every day as they live far away but I love visiting them.

“I have been through all this before, I can get it back into remission. I am determined to. I’ve got to stay strong really and I’ve got close family and friends around me and that’s what keeps me going with a smile.”

Elaine shared her story in light of Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Taking place annually during September, it aims to raise awareness of advancements in treatments and empower patients. This year Merseyside Against Blood Cancer is hosting a patient-physician conference on Saturday, November 2 at the Holiday Inn on Lime Street. It hopes to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration by uniting relevant communities.

Elaine, vice chair of the charity, said: “This conference is a testament to our dedication to improving patient outcomes by fostering collaboration between those on the frontlines of treatment and those who experience its impact first hand."