A COVENTRY woman whose husband almost died during cancer surgery is urging local people to support a national fundraising campaign.
Posing with a sign declaring ‘I’m standing up for Stuart’, Coventrian Kelly Goddard is helping launch this year’s Stand Up To Cancer fundraising campaign in honour of her husband, Stuart.
The 31-year-old Keresley resident is encouraging local people to raise money at school, home or in the workplace to fund vital research into the treatment of cancer patients after Stuart nearly died after suffering a severe allergic reaction to morphine during surgery.
Stuart, a team leader at Barclays Bank, was just 29 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer in June 2013 after experiencing severe stomach pain for several months.
Feeling like his ‘whole world just flipped upside down’, Stuart had to face telling his parents the devastating news before being told he would need life-saving surgery to remove the right side of his colon at the University Hospital Coventry.
But, just after being put under anesthetic he suffered an anaphylactic shock so extreme that surgeons had to re-start his heart.
Stuart said: “When I woke up there were a lot of drips around me but no scar.
“The surgeon told me that if that had happened at home I would be dead.
“They had to delay surgery while they decided what to do next and all I could think was that the delay was putting my life at risk.
“They did all the tests as quickly as they could and found I was allergic to six different drugs including Morphine.
“Four of those, they’d given me on the day of the planned surgery.”
Following delays and complications, Stuart was eventually allowed home and underwent eight courses of preventative chemotherapy before returning to work in June 2014.
Knowing only too well how crucial developments and breakthrough in cancer treatment is for sufferers, Kelly said: “I’m so grateful for the treatment that saved Stuart’s life and I’m so proud to support Stand Up To Cancer because of him.
“It’s thanks to Stuart that I really appreciate the power of research.
“And that’s why I want to encourage as many people as possible to unite and help raise as much money as possible.”
Stand Up To Cancer aims to raise money to fund vital research for and raise awareness of new and better treatments to cancer patients faster by uniting supporters will be uniting with doctors, nurses, scientists and celebrities.
This year’s campaign is up and running now, and will culminate with an evening of special programming on Channel 4 on Friday, October 9.
For more information and to get involved visit www.standuptocancer.org.uk
