Jane Davies grew up in Macclesfield, where she went to school before moving to Surrey to study at the West Surrey College of Art and Design. After achieving a first-class honours degree in Fine Art, she landed a job at Lloyds Bank where she worked for ten years before becoming a housewife and mother.
Jane and her husband, Tim, moved to Stamford in Lincolnshire in November 2022, to their forever home.
Jane kept herself ‘very fit,’ regularly using an exercise bike and a rowing machine. However, whilst out walking, she began to notice more people overtaking her. Jane felt fatigued, had a dry cough and had problems catching her breath but she thought this was a result of looking after her husband, Tim, following his recent knee operations.
A devastating diagnosis
Jane said that on occasions, her heart missed a beat. She went to a consultation with a cardiologist who arranged for Jane to have an ECG, blood tests and an x-ray.
After the x-ray at the hospital, Jane was instantly referred to A&E, and after five hours of tests and scans, was told that ‘in all probability, it could be cancer of the lung.’
Tim says:
“We were numb. We didn’t cry. We were in a state of shock. We drew comfort that lung cancer was treatable. We thought that Jane has been misdiagnosed – she was fit, young, she exercised regularly and had never smoked.”
She subsequently underwent a CT scan, a biopsy and had a lung full of fluid drained.
Jane then received the awful news that she had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and was told that she probably had around 18 months to live.
Tim adds: “Jane was comparatively young, fit, at her perfect weight and the mesothelioma was caught at Stage 1 so had not passed to other parts of her body.”
Serious lung infection
Jane had her lung drained three times per week, with home visits from “absolutely wonderful” nurses.
She was able to attend her son’s wedding but then Jane and her family were dealt another terrible blow when her 93-year-old mother was admitted to hospital and passed away the following day. Jane was then suddenly taken ill with a lung infection and had to attend an emergency appointment at hospital on the day of her mother’s funeral.
She was able to watch the ceremony remotely via a video link before attending the appointment. Jane was then admitted to hospital that night due to the severity of the infection.
Tim continues: “Jane was really ill – it was a life-threatening lung infection, and she was kept in for 11 days. Again, the nurses were absolutely wonderful but Jane hates hospital!”
“I was given an antibiotic pump and was then allowed to take the tube out, which has made life a lot easier,” said Jane, continuing “but the cancer has grown because they couldn’t treat it during the infection.”
Engaging with clinical trials
Jane tried to get on Proton Beam treatment at UCLH but was too ill so had to withdraw. After talking to Professor Fennell, Jane is taking part in the EVOLVE clinical trial at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
Jane says: “EVOLVE involves a ‘wonder drug’ plus chemotherapy sessions. Jane was randomised into the Control Arm of the trial, where she received the standard immunotherapy treatment of ‘ipi+nivo.’
Sadly, Jane was unable to tolerate the immunotherapy and after it attacked her body three times Jane was advised that immunotherapy treatment would have to cease.
Support for national database
Tim and Jane are keen to shed more light on the prevalence of mesothelioma sufferers across the UK as many people are unaware of the severity of the disease and what causes it.
They are concerned that there is no national database of mesothelioma sufferers that details where and when they worked, and at what age they were diagnosed. They say that “there may be a new, younger, generation of mesothelioma sufferers who gained exposure to asbestos through simply being office workers.”
They believe that such a scheme would make it much easier for the victims and families of those suffering with the disease to identify any places of work with a high risk of asbestos exposure.
Battling the disease with a positive approach
Jane continues to say:
“I’ve got this terrible disease, but I’m strong and positive. I will do the best I can to battle it and carry on. I am a very positive person, very blessed with Tim and our two sons. I enjoy the simple pleasures in life and now appreciate them all the more.”
“I still enjoy life and embrace it. I’m determined to battle the disease head on, whatever lies in the road ahead.”
