Mom and daughter dignosed with cancer on the same day

By James Connolly

A mom and her daughter were both told they had cancer on the same day, within just hours of each other.

Stevie Wise, 40, and mom Belinda, 63, from Manchester, went into two separate hospital appointments where doctors delivered the devastating diagnoses.

But while Stevie beat her aggressive breast cancer, her mom tragically died after it was discovered her blood cancer was too advanced.

Recalling the heartbreaking day that rocked the family, Stevie said: “It all happened in one day back in summer 2023.

“I was told that what I thought was a cyst was actually cancer.

“Then I called my mom and her tests had revealed the full extent of her diagnosis.

“I didn’t cry. I just thought, right, what’s the plan?”

Education consultant Stevie almost skipped her own hospital appointment to sit beside her mom, who was being tested for suspected cancer.

But she said a gut instinct told her to go – a decision that would ultimately save her life.

Scans revealed two tumors and visible swelling under Stevie’s arm.

Doctors confirmed she had grade three breast cancer that had already spread to her lymph nodes.

Just hours later, Belinda was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a blood cancer.

While she immediately focused on treatment, her mom struggled to even talk about what was happening.

Stevie said: “Mom had been in pain for a long time and kept falling over.

“But she’d hidden it from everyone.

“By the time she was diagnosed, it was too advanced.

“When she didn’t respond to treatment, we all knew she was dying, but she wouldn’t talk about it.

“She was terrified.”

What followed was a brutal year for the family.

Stevie underwent a mastectomy, reconstruction, chemotherapy and radiotherapy while her mom’s condition continued to worsen.

Stevie said: “It was a really awful and stressful time.

“My surgery wounds kept opening, and my mom was really poorly.

“I’d just finished chemo and radiotherapy when mom died. She was 63.”

Around the same time, Stevie was given life-changing news of her own.

She said: “I was told there was no trace of my cancer left.

“But I didn’t ring the bell. It just didn’t feel like the right time.”

Instead, Stevie celebrated by throwing a huge party for her 40th birthday earlier this month.

She added: “It felt like I was owed a celebration.

“Aging is a privilege. I’m so happy to be alive.”

As part of her ongoing treatment, Stevie is taking targeted therapy drug abemaciclib as well as hormone therapy drug tamoxifen – both of which Cancer Research UK helped to develop.

Now, she is urging people to sign up for the charity’s Race for Life and help fund future breakthroughs.

Stevie said: “My friends carried me through it.

“They took it in turns to stay with me, look after me and help me recover.

“That’s what this is about, all of us, together, all in against cancer.”

Although treatment has left her with lasting fatigue and mobility issues, Stevie says she enjoys swimming and walking her dog at her own pace.

Race for Life events are taking place across the UK this year, with 3k, 5k and 10k events as well as the muddy obstacle course Pretty Muddy.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to take part.

Cancer Research UK spokesperson Jemma Humphreys said: “Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime but all of us can support the research that will beat it.

“Race for Life powers progress and it relies on a whole community of people coming together, united by a common purpose to beat cancer.”