’Doctors said my bloating was just a cyst - then a scan found cancer’

A mum was left stunned after what doctors initially thought was "just a cyst" turned out to be a rare form of cancer. In 2023, Rachael Misfud, 38, began experiencing extreme fatigue and bloating, symptoms she had previously when multiple cysts were found on her ovary.

After revisiting her GP and undergoing an ultrasound, a "mass" was detected on her ovary - but it was dismissed as another cyst, and she was added to the NHS surgery waiting list. However, months later during surgery, it was discovered that the mass was actually mucinous ovarian cancer, a condition that affects around 200 people annually in Britain.

Now, Rachael, who works as a teacher in Denham, Buckinghamshire, is determined to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of this uncommon ovarian cancer, emphasizing the importance of early detection for survival chances. As a mother of four, she's also fundraising through GoFundMe for a dream family trip to Disneyland, hoping to celebrate the end of her treatment.

Rachael has expressed her concern about the lack of screening for this type of cancer: "There isn't any screening that can pick this type of cancer up so we really need to generate more awareness. The scan I had in 2023 didn't show anything cancerous so the doctors did nothing wrong. But by the time I had the lump removed in 2024 it was cancerous - so it's likely it mutated while I was on a waiting list.

She continued: "Maybe we need to be doing more scans while people are on waiting lists. Especially as catching it early is the key for survival. It's also worth saying that the assumption was I had a cyst. Maybe the assumption should be cancer until we're sure it's not."

Rachael's first sign that something was amiss came when she began to battle with exhaustion. She admitted: "I have four kids and a full-time job. It's normal to be tired. But the fatigue I had - I felt like I was 70 years old. I had to sleep when I got home from work just to get through the evening."

After discussing her symptoms - which included bloating - with her GP, Rachael was referred for an internal ultrasound. At the hospital, they discovered a mass on her ovary, but reassured her that there was no sign of 'activity' which would suggest a tumour.

She recounted: "They showed me the scan and I saw what they were talking about - there was no activity." As a result, Rachael was placed on a waiting list for removal surgery, as if the issue was merely a cyst. The timeline stretched uncomfortably, and she wasn't scheduled for surgery until nine months later, in July 2024.

She recalled the dilemma she faced with the date offered: "The date they gave me actually fell when we were meant to be on a family holiday in Belgium. So I thought, 'It's just a cyst. I'll ask if I can get it done when I'm back.' But my husband convinced me to just get it done when they were offering. Thank God I did. Imagine what could have happened if I didn't?".

Fortunately, Rachael's operation was successful, and the removed lump was sent away for a biopsy. She resumed her daily life, assuming everything was fine, but on her first day back at work at Denham Green E-ACT Primary Academy, she received an urgent call from the hospital.

Rachael recalled: "They told me I needed to come in for an appointment the next day. I tried to re-arrange, saying I had my first few days back at school. But they insisted. I just got that sinking feeling. I could tell from their urgency. I went home and said to my husband, 'This isn't a good sign.'"

Rachael and her husband Anthony, 38, attended the appointment, where they were informed that the lump was cancerous. Rachael said: "I shut down. I was in complete shock. You just never think it's going to be you. But then I had to focus on next steps. The consultant said to me: 'You're young. You're a mum. We want to give you the best chance. 'We're going to act quickly.'

She continued: "He said they were going to do another surgery to make sure everything cancerous was gone - and then do chemotherapy. It was lucky I was Stage 1 as surgery isn't effective at Stage 2. So again, I keep thinking what would have happened if there had been any more delays."

Rachael was referred to a hospital in London and underwent a major surgery in October 2024, which involved the removal of her ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and cervix. She explained: "It was prevention as well as treatment. They wanted to make sure there was nowhere the cancer could return to. But when I woke up - I felt like I had been hit by a train. It was the most painful thing I'd ever felt. It was worse than labour. The first time I stood up I felt like all my organs were going to drop out - because so many things had been removed. I couldn't speak for five days."

The surgery was successful with no further cancer found, and Rachael is currently undergoing chemotherapy to ensure her blood is free from cancerous cells. She shared: "I have a couple sessions left to do. Chemo isn't as scary as you think - the nurses are lovely and make it the best they can for you. You get tea, coffee, biscuits, bananas. But I've lost all my hair now. And I'm not going to lie - as a woman, it's awful. It's such a big part of you so it's really hard to accept."

Rachael added: "I cried so much when I realised I had to shave it all off. But my husband Anthony came with me and shaved his too. That was nice - to inject a bit of humour into it all for the kids. But my youngest took it the hardest. I think that was the moment he realised I really had cancer. It took him a while to be able to look at me. It's not his fault at all - it's hard. But that did break my heart."

With her final chemotherapy session on the horizon, Rachael and her husband Anthony are fundraising to take their children Paige, 18, Lexie, 15, Medina, nine, and AJ, eight, to Disneyland—a dream that once seemed achievable through saving alone.

Rachael said: "Before, that would be something we could have achieved through saving. But the cancer has been hard on us financially as I've been off work and Anthony had to stop working to run the house and look after the kids. My boss has been amazing and I've received such great support but of course it only lasts so long. And Anthony, who's a courier, is self-employed - so he doesn't get any benefits."

She explained their decision to raise money: "Someone at Macmillan suggested we fundraise and I just thought, 'I'm going to do it.' I want to do something as a family once my treatment is over. Hopefully we can get there. And also, by speaking out about my story, maybe one woman will get those symptoms checked. That would be worth it."

To support Rachael, contributions can be made to her GoFundMe here or you can follow her journey on instagram here.

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