JULIE Dudas has just undergone five months of chemotherapy and a hip replacement after discovering cancerous lumps in her neck.
She is now in remission, but knows if it wasn’t for the dedicated staff on ward 24 at Barnsley Hospital, things could have been very different.
That is why Julie has put them forward for a Proud of Barnsley award.
Julie, 57, of Beech Street, Barnsley, was diagnosed with lymphoma in August last year. A scan revealed it had already spread throughout her body to her spine, shoulders, arms, pelvis and left leg.
Julie said: “The lumps in my neck were found to be cancerous. After these lumps had shown up I went for a scan and it had already spread.
“I was referred to ward 24 through ENT, and I just felt like I was going to be safe there.
“They knew what they were doing and were all really confident when they were talking to me about what was going off.
“They picked up on things that I hadn’t picked up on with being ill, and they’ve been on the end of the phone whenever I’ve needed to speak to them. There was always someone to speak to.”
Julie started chemotherapy in August last year. She had six treatments every three weeks and two specialist treatments, one of which had never been offered in Barnsley before.
The treatment ended in January, but there was a complication.
The cancer had receded very quickly, and had broken Julie’s hip.
Just three weeks ago, Julie had a full hip replacement and was cared for by the orthopaedics team.
“I’d had a broken hip since September, but I’ve just had it repaired. I was told the cancer had receded very quickly and it had snapped my neck of femur.
“It was very painful and I wasn’t really able to walk. I was on bed rest for the first few weeks, and then it was decided that I would be better off trying to walk about because the hip couldn’t be repaired until after I had finished chemotherapy.”
Julie is now in remission.
“There is nothing cancerous in my body, but I’ve got five years until they will say I’m all-clear.
“I feel ok, I get tired sometimes and don’t have lots of medication, just a few painkillers.
“I just want to say a great big thank you for saving my life. If I’d left it any longer, then I wouldn’t have been here.”
Ward sister Jo-Anne White said: “Julie is a lovely lady. Her care was shared 50/50 between Ward 24 and the chemotherapy day unit. Everybody played a part in looking after her and she did extremely well.
“We’re thrilled she has nominated us.”
