Bolton: Mother battling cancer shares challenging journey

Yvonne Parkes, 50 from Heaton, was first diagnosed in October 2022, and has continued to remain positive throughout her journey, even though she had to endure six rounds of chemotherapy, which caused severe pain.

Yvonne found out the news four weeks ago and now has to have checks every three months for the next 10 years.

During her fifth round of chemotherapy Yvonne caught pneumonia, and her son Joe says that this almost ‘killed her’ and that they were not completely sure what was going to happen next.

Yvonne said: “It was quite a shock.

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Yvonne Parkes ringing the bell (Image: Public)

“I thought I had a slight chest infection, knowing I had a cough, and picking up anything can be 10 times worse without an immune system.

“It was quite alarming getting pneumonia and then two or three weeks after my sixth round of chemotherapy they found a blood clot on my lung.”

Yvonne says that the blood clot started on her leg and worked its way up and went through her heart to her lungs.

She says the pain was so bad she thought she was having a heart attack.

Yvonne added: “It was frightening because I wasn’t sure what it was.

“I was quite worried because they said the pneumonia could scar my lungs, which is a long-term effect, and when I went to A&E for my blood clot, they found that there was scaring on my lungs from the pneumonia.”

Yvonne is currently on medication to treat the blood clot on her lungs.

Yvonne Parkes with son Joe in hospital (Image: Public)

Throughout her chemotherapy, Yvonne says that she slept through most of it and that the pain was agonising afterwards.

She added: “It is the worst thing I have ever felt in my life.

“Two hours after chemotherapy I started being sick for four or five days, and I couldn’t take the anti-sickness tablets because it would come straight back up again.

“Every round of chemotherapy was deferred because my immune system was too low to have it again.

“I had to have injections to boost my immune system after the chemotherapy and wait for it to start working in my body.

“We just wanted to get it over and done with, but knowing I had to wait another two weeks for your next one was frustrating.”

Yvonne Parkes with husband David and son Joe in Lanzarote (Image: Public)

Yvonne says that the whole experience has been ‘very overwhelming’ from going to the doctors, to the hospital and then to The Christie for treatment, but she says that her friends and family are what have helped her throughout.

She said: “Staying positive really helps.

“A lot of it is mindset, it’s quite easy to go into a depression, but I try and look at the good bits rather than the bad bits.

“Family and friends, my husband David, my son Joe, and work have been absolutely brilliant.

“The care I got was fantastic and everything was explained really clearly.”

During Yvonne’s journey to being cancer free, she says it has brought the family closer together.

She said: “It makes you realise that you shouldn’t take every day for granted.

“You learn what’s important and it puts things into perspective.”

Before Yvonne was diagnosed, she was working as a catering manager for Bolton at Home for a company known as Atalian Servest, and she says they have been really supportive.

She said: “I have not had to worry about my job while I have been off.

“My bosses have been phenomenal and there was no pressure.

“They were really supportive.”

Joe, David, and some friends also managed to raise £1,300 for Target Ovarian Cancer after braving the shave last year.

Joe said: “It has been very tough, and we have had some up and down days, but it feels good that she’s cancer free.

“We are just feeling really positive.

“We were hoping that when the bloods came back normal that it would be okay.”

If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.