Audrey Perry had always been fit and in good shape and, even in her 70s, never really had to worry about her health.
But everything changed when a devastating shock diagnosis led her on a “lonely and scary” journey – until she found support and companionship through an Aberdeen charity.
Audrey first felt something was amiss after moving to a new house in Cults with husband Alan in 2019.
“I kept getting niggling pains in my hip and sciatica, which I’d never had in my life,” she said.
‘I couldn’t get out of bed’
“It was quite painful and just got progressively worse to the extent I couldn’t really get out of bed.”
Audrey started seeing a physiotherapist, but found the sessions of little help.
“By the third time, he said: ‘People get better when they come to see me – not worse’.
“He said I needed to be in hospital, and I was taken in that day with severe disability.
“I couldn’t put any weight on my leg.”
At hospital, Audrey was given surprising news about the source of her pain – a fractured vertebrae – and staff promised to investigate how it happened.
‘Told I had cancer on my 51st wedding anniversary’
Ten days later, Audrey was called to see her doctor where she was faced with a diagnosis of diffuse large b-cell lymphoma – a cancer affecting part of her immune system.
She said: “I remember saying to the doctor: ‘I hope this is good news because it’s a nice day for me today’.
“I was told I had cancer on my 51st wedding anniversary.”
Prior to her diagnosis, Audrey had been working in Aberdeen and Glasgow as a property viewing agent, but retired following the news.
Audrey spent the next three months being treated in hospital, and received support from charity Friends of Anchor while she was there.
She described the ladies who helped her as “absolutely amazing”, and would always look forward to the visits where they’d style her hair and pamper her.
But when she was eventually discharged from hospital and returned home, there was no support in place.
Audrey said: “I went in with a sore hip and all of a sudden I had this diagnosis.
“I was losing all my hair, it was a lot to get my head around.
“I felt that side of it didn’t get addressed – the trauma – because they’re so busy dealing with getting the cancer under control.”
‘I was in floods of tears’
But Audrey’s daughter, who had been driving her to and from appointments, suggested they went to visit the Aberdeen Maggie’s centre.
The cancer support charity has a base in Foresterhill, next to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and offers free support and advice.
Audrey admits she wasn’t entirely sure what the organisation did, but the pair set off to find out and their first meeting with centre head Kevin Mathieson changed everything.
“The warm feeling in that place is indescribable,” she said.
“We went in and the first person we met was Kevin, and he asked what my story was.
“Because I was so busy in the hospital dealing with my illness, when someone [finally] asked it was like ‘Oh my gosh!'”
“By the time I’d finished speaking, I was in floods of tears, not realising the emotion I was keeping inside me. It’s overwhelming.
“When people don’t interrupt, just listen and are interested in what you’ve got to say, it’s so powerful.”
‘Flashbacks from being in hospital’
Now 73, Audrey is still a regular at the Maggie’s centre and uses her time to chat to staff and confide in other cancer patients during group sessions.
She said: “It’s so beneficial because you think it’s only happening to you, and only you are feeling that way.
“There’s only so much you can keep telling your family and I get flashbacks from being in hospital when I see things [about cancer] on television.
“But now I can speak to people who have gone through the trauma of what happened to them.”
Audrey added: “Cancer is definitely not a club anyone would wish to join.
“It’s lonely and scary with loads of unanswered questions.
“But stepping inside Maggie’s is the best decision I’ve made. Before you know it, you’re smiling and laughing over a cup of tea and biscuits.
“Life goes on.”
For more information about the Maggie’s centre in Aberdeen and the support it offers, visit the charity’s website at maggies.org
