A mother from Greater Manchester has been given a terminal cancer diagnosis after her symptoms were initially dismissed as a common holiday virus.
Katie Cooper, 32, first had a small freckle removed from behind her ear as a precaution around seven years ago. Although tests at the time did not raise concern, four years later, a small lump appeared in the same spot. Further testing confirmed it was melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
Doctors removed the growth and assured her she was cancer-free. However, in March this year, Katie began experiencing unexplained aches and pains, shortly after returning from a family trip to Disneyland Paris. Doctors told her the symptoms were likely the result of a virus she had picked up while travelling.
But her condition worsened. She became bedridden and was in constant pain. After five weeks with no improvement, doctors conducted a scan. It revealed the cancer had returned — and had spread rapidly through her body, including her bones, spine, liver, lungs, abdominal wall, and ovaries.
“It’s terrifying,” Katie said. “We had no idea. We thought I was just ill with something simple. The diagnosis blindsided us.”
The disease is now incurable. Katie is undergoing intensive radiotherapy and immunotherapy to slow its progression. Survival rates drop significantly in advanced stages of melanoma: around 66% at stage three and just 27% at stage four.
Abi Smith, a close friend, explained the treatment may give Katie a 60% chance of surviving another 10 years — but if it fails, her prognosis could be just months. “She’s accepted the cancer, but when she thinks of her three-year-old daughter, Aurora, it breaks her,” Smith said. “She just wants to be there for her milestones.”
Katie has urged others to trust their instincts and seek medical attention if something feels wrong. “You know your body best. If something doesn’t feel right, push for answers,” she said.
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help Katie and her family with medical and living costs.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and is rising among younger people in the UK. Just five instances of sunburn can significantly raise a person’s risk. According to Cancer Research UK, around 90% of skin cancer cases are caused by sunburn or sunbed use.
Each year, melanoma kills over 2,000 people in the UK. One in 35 men and one in 41 women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.
Doctors advise people to protect their skin from both UVA and UVB rays — the two types of ultraviolet radiation that cause skin damage, ageing, and cancer.
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