A MUM-of-two, who is dying of a disease which often goes undetected until it is too late, is fighting to save the lives of other people that may suffer from the condition.

Kim Skinner, 54, the manager of Primark in Southend, started having hot flushes, but put it down to menopause.

She was actually suffering from a nueroendocrine tumour, the same cancer that killed Apple boss Steve Jobs.

The insidious disease, which attacks up to 3,000 people a year in the UK, disguises itself in a myriad of commonplace symptoms which are often dismissed by doctors until it is far too late to treat.

When doctors finally found the cancerous tumour in February, Kim was given the devastating news she had only two to five years to live.

Determined to battle the terrible diagnosis, she has bravely continued to work with the support of Primark, and she hopes by telling her story she can raise awareness of the disease.

She is also raising money for the Net Patient Foundation which supports sufferers.

She said: “A lot of GPs don’t understand and don’t link the symptoms together so its not until years down the line they finally find the cancer.

“I had weight loss, hot flushes and an upset stomach and for years I was going back and forward to doctors and trying all the herbal remedies I could find.

“I finally had an endoscopy and then a colonoscopy and biopsy. In February Southend Hospital finally told me about the type of cancer it was. They had no idea how long it had been there and they could only treat the symptoms because they hadn’t found it early enough. It’s now spread to my liver and bones.”

Kim from Southend added: “I have to remain positive and raise awareness of the condition. So many people have never heard of it. I even spoke to an A&E nurse who had never heard of it. People just tend to call it just lung cancer or bowel cancer and not say it is nueroendocrine cancer so people don’t hear about it.

“I’m not going to give up yet. I have too much to see and too much to do.”

Kim has received huge support from Primark throughout her illness which has included regular visits to the Wellington Hospital in London for treatment.

The company is allowing her to take four weeks off over Christmas to spend precious time with her daughter Sarah, 30 and son David, 32 and her two grandchildren.

She said: “It will seem strange to have time off at Christmas as we usually have no time off apart from Christmas Day. I find it difficult because I look normal so it makes me feel a bit of a fraud.

“You have to keep active otherwise you end up feeling sorry for yourself. I just want to tell people you know your own body and trust your feelings. If you feel something is not right you have to pursue it. Don’t give up until you get answers.”

 

THE Royals shopping centre has chosen the Net Patient Foundation as one of it’s chosen charities for the year in support of Mrs Skinner.

The centre held zebra-themed black and white dress up days for staff to raise money for the charity.

Dawn Jeakings, centre manager, said: “The Net Patient Foundation chose a zebra and what looks like a butterfly for its campaign. We didn’t quite understand why at first but then it was explained that the butterfly is in fact a moth and if you heard a zebra running up behind you you would think it was a horse. The idea is that things are not always what they seem. They can be deceptive just like nueroendocrine tumours.”

Kim was among those at the centre handing out leaflets and dressing up to raise hundreds of pounds both for Net and for the Southend Hospital keyhole surgery appeal.

Ms Jeakings added: “Lots of staff dressed as zebras and those who couldn’t wore armbands. We’ve held two events and will be going out at Christmas asking people to donate. It’s all about raising awareness of the symptoms.”

PANEL NEUROENDOCRINE tumours currently affect up to 16,000 people in the UK.

They are complex tumours that can arise in many areas of the body. Studies suggest 90per cent of patients with malignant gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours can’t be cured because of late diagnosis.

The nueroendocrine system is made up of nerve and gland cells. It makes hormones and releases them into the bloodstream.

Neuro means nerve and endocrine means cells. The endocrine system is a network of glands and organs in the body that produce hormones that control how our bodies work, including growth and development.

Neuroendocrine tumours develop in the cells of the neuroendocrine system.

NET Patient Foundation costs £200,000 a year to run and receives no regular support from the Government or other cancer charities.

For the helpline call 0800 4346476 or 07557 147698

To learn more about the charity, visit www.netpatientfoundation.org