Police officer Katy Miles, 46, from Cheltenham, has died after a rare form of ovarian cancer, first signalled by a bladder control problem she experienced during a CrossFit class in 2016. Despite being 'very fit and healthy', she was diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) in December 2016 after initial scans suggested a non-cancerous cyst.
Her husband, Matt Miles, 46, also a police officer, said the diagnosis came as a shock. 'To have this disease is one thing, but to have a rare disease, for someone of her age and fitness level, there was no rhyme or reason for it,' he said. Katy underwent extensive treatment including a bowel resection, an eight-hour operation, a hysterectomy, and chemotherapy. She was initially given the all-clear but follow-up scans in 2019 revealed further tumours.
By 2024, the cancer had spread to her bones and skin, and she received a prognosis of around a year. Kidney problems required a nephrostomy, which Matt described as 'the most painful thing she had done'. Katy received end-of-life care from Sue Ryder hospice and died on September 24, 2024, with Matt and her sister Lucy by her side.
Matt is now raising money for Sue Ryder by completing endurance challenges linked to Katy's police collar number, 1481, including 1,481 burpees, a 14.81-mile row, walking the Camino de Santiago, and finishing with the London Marathon on April 26. 'Katy will be at the forefront of my mind. She is the driving force behind it all,' he said.
