A mother from Portishead who was given just 12 months to live in 2015 has defied doctors and is still alive seven years later. Heidi Loughlin, 39, was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with her daughter Ally Louise Smith. She delayed treatment to deliver Ally prematurely at 12 weeks, but the baby sadly died shortly after birth.
Ms Loughlin, who has two sons, said she is 'stubbornly' clinging on to life. 'It's amazing to outlive my prognosis and everyone is scratching their heads why I'm still here,' she said. She credits her survival to good mental health and exercise, adding: 'I don't think about cancer half the time, I think about the great things I'm going to do next year.'
She attends chemotherapy every three weeks and hopes to leave a legacy for her children. 'When I got my cancer diagnosis, my sons were one and two and all I could think was that they wouldn't remember me. If I were to die next week, my children would know their mum was brave, stubborn and funny. I get the privilege of leaving behind excellent memories for my kids,' she said.
Ms Loughlin also praised the late Dame Deborah James, who died from bowel cancer in 2022. James raised over £6m for cancer research through her Bowelbabe fund. 'Rather than give up and say "I'm a cancer patient" Deborah has raised so much awareness. She has shown people that you can live with stage 4 cancer,' Ms Loughlin said.
