Woman mistook deadly illness for perimenopause

Laura Dawson, a 44-year-old mother of two, experienced bloating and fatigue in the mornings for months, which led to a devastating diagnosis that cut her life short.

Dawson, a Londoner, mistook the symptoms for perimenopause when in fact she had stage three bowel cancer.

It wasn’t until she experienced excruciating abdominal pain one night that she sought urgent medical help at the A&E.

Dawson had to undergo emergency surgery to remove an obstruction on her bowel. However, while the surgery was dubbed successful, further tests revealed she had cancer.

According to her husband Ben, Dawson underwent six months of chemotherapy, and the initial scans were promising.

“We got one clear scan in August and it all seemed promising. But then in September we got the news that it was back and it had spread. That was absolutely gut-wrenching,” Ben said.

After her cancer returned, Dawson tried other forms of chemo, but two months ago she decided to discontinue treatment as it made her feel more ill. Instead, she decided to spend her remaining time with her family and friends.

St Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham, south-east London, supported Dawson, making it possible for her to spend more time at home in a “comfortable and dignified way.”

Dawson passed away at St Christopher’s Hospice on Sunday, June 29, with her husband by her side.

“The care Laura received at home from the carers from St Christopher’s allowed her to have her final two weeks at home in a comfortable and dignified way. Then, during the nearly three weeks she stayed at the hospice, she was so well looked after – and everyone there was so compassionate and so caring – that it made Laura’s last few days so good for her. We’re eternally grateful that such a positive experience could come from such a negative situation.”

Speaking of her condition, Dawson previously said, “Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks. As a society, we shy away from the process of dying.

“By doing that, we reinforce negative ideas around death. People think death is always going to be painful and traumatic, but it doesn’t have to be.

“Deep down we all know we are going to die. Cancer has forced me to acknowledge it. Since then I’ve lived more fully than I’ve ever done and that has been a gift.”

She passed away knowing she was loved and cared for.