I planned my funeral and wedding at the same time after being told my ovarian cancer was terminal – and have even written birthday cards for my boys to open in the future
A WOMAN has planned her funeral and wedding at the same time after being diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Tina Potts, 40, from Wicklow, Ireland, was told she had just a 30 per cent chance of being alive by the end of 2019. The 40-year-old mum to Philip, 19, and Elliot, 11, had been promising […]
A WOMAN has planned her funeral and wedding at the same time after being diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer.
Tina Potts, 40, from Wicklow, Ireland, was told she had just a 30 per cent chance of being alive by the end of 2019.
The 40-year-old mum to Philip, 19, and Elliot, 11, had been promising boyfriend of 13 years Johnny for years she would marry him.
But now, having discovered she will die soon, she has tied the knot.
They married six days ago with Tina wearing a white off-the-shoulder dress.
“We always put it off. Next year, we’ll do it next year. But there is no next year,” she said.
Heartbreakingly, she has also organised her own funeral – at the same time as organising her wedding.
She told the MailOnline: “We’re trying to do as much as we can now while I’m physically able to rather than miss out.
“I have organised my funeral – it’s hard enough for them, without having to deal with it.”
She also revealed she had made memory boxes for her children, the oldest of which has special needs.
She has even writing birthday cards for then to open in the future, filled with advice so if they had questions about anything they could turn to their mum for help.
“All I ever wanted was to be a mammy,” she told the Mail.
Tina was struck down by ovarian cancer in December 2017 after being taken to casualty with severe stomach pains.
There she learnt she had the late stages of the disease which was resistant to chemotherapy.
She’s pleading with any woman suffering from similar symptoms to take action now before it’s too late.
In a heartbreaking interview with Virgin Media News, she said: “There is a 30 per cent chance I’ll get to Christmas. I think I knew that though. But it’s OK. I have memory boxes and photos.”
She was only diagnosed at a late stage due to her unusual symptoms including bloating, fatigue, bowel changes and a build-up of fluid in her abdomen.
The bride was close to tears as she discussed “sorting out her own funeral” after rushing her wedding day due to her condition.
She continued: “If you have got concerns, if you have got worries or if any of the symptoms sound familiar, get a pelvic exam and get an ultrasound done.
“Get a test done, just for your peace of mind. Even if your doctor says you’re being a bit dramatic here, that doesn’t matter.
“Fight for it now. No matter what age you are, do it now.”
“If you don’t, and you just trust what they say and assume that they know best, you can’t go back.”
“All those symptoms, if we just had of known then what we know now, we wouldn’t be here.
What is ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer affects about 7,000 women each year – making it one of the most common types of the disease in females.
Ovarian cancer affects the ovaries, which are a small pair of organs located in the female pelvic cavity.
They are an important part of the female reproductive system as they connect to the womb and store eggs.
If you have ovarian cancer, cells in or around your ovaries start to grow abnormally which can lead to tumours.
Ovarian cancer may affect one or both of your ovaries, and there are several types that can affect women of all ages.
These include
- Epithelial ovarian cancer – This is the most common type and causes nine out of 10 cases. It develops in the cells that line your ovaries but can also affect cells in the fallopian tubes that connect your ovaries to the womb.
- Non-epithelial ovarian cancer – This type of ovarian cancer is much less common, and affects cells in your ovaries that produce eggs. Typically this type will affect younger women.
Many symptoms of ovarian cancer are hard to recognise as they are similar to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The treatment for ovarian cancer depends on the type and how far spread it is.
Common treatments are:
- Surgery – This is done to remove the cancerous cells from the body. Often this can involve removing both ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the womb.
- Chemotherapy – This is often done after surgery to kill any remaining cells, using medicine. Sometimes it can be used as a method to shrink cancer before surgery.
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