A woman was told she had appendicitis, only to later learn that her symptoms were the result of something much more serious.

After countless doctors visits for irregular periods and extreme abdominal pain, Kerry Wilcox was initially diagnosed with endometriosis in the summer of 2015.

“I kept going back,” she says. “The pain and the symptoms got worse. I couldn’t walk very far without holding my stomach. The pain was unbelievable.”

Despite returning to the doctors numerous times in severe pain, Kerry, 46, was turned away until she woke up one night in agony. “I went straight to A&E and they said I had appendicitis,” she tells the Mirror. “They told me I would need surgery in the morning to have my appendix removed.”

Just four days later on November 6, 2015, Kerry, who was living with her parents in north Devon at the time, received the devastating news that doctors had found an eight-inch tumour growing on her appendix. “It was appendix cancer,” she says. “A slow growing cancer that’s incredibly rare.

“I remember thinking we’ve never had it in the family, so what is going on.” Due to the size of the tumour, Kerry was told she would need to undergo more surgery in four weeks as the cancer cells had spread to her bowels.

Doctors removed half of Kerry’s bowel, before she also had to undergo a hysterectomy after the cancer sent her into early menopause. “I have no children,” she says. “That decision has now been taken away from me. It’s something that does concern me if I meet a partner in the future.”

Kerry prepared for chemotherapy in the winter of 2015, taking regular medication and injections. But after Kerry’s partial colectomy, doctors told her she was cancer-free.

“I had prepared for chemotherapy so to find out I no longer needed it was such a relief,” she adds. “I was living with my parents at the time and my dad was poorly so I didn’t want to worry them.”

Kerry lost her dad to cancer in 2019, just four years after her diagnosis. Kerry has been cancer-free since, turning to Cancer Research for support as she navigated her new life following her surgeries.

She says: “When I was diagnosed, I was told I was the second person in north Devon to have this particular type of cancer. I remember thinking, who can I turn to for support and advice?

“I called Cancer Research and they were amazing. They gave me so much support, put me in touch with social media groups to join. I’ve been doing their Race For Life every year since.

“It’s so important to raise awareness and fund this vital research. I want people to know it’s okay to not be okay. If something doesn’t feel right, advocate for yourself. Push for answers.”

Kerry is supporting Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in partnership with Standard Life. Visit raceforlife.org.

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