Claire Gerring, 42, from Wantage in Oxfordshire, underwent a 10-hour operation to remove nine organs after suspected endometriosis turned out to be a rare cancer.
She had been referred to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in November 2022 with suspected endometriosis. In May 2023 she was placed on a waiting list for an investigative laparoscopy, but after experiencing severe pain on her right side, a positive FIT test led to a colonoscopy.
Cancer discovery and diagnosis
Doctors discovered her appendix was inverted, and a CT scan showed malignant tissue on the organ, requiring investigative surgery. A biopsy on May 6 last year confirmed she had stage four Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), a rare cancer that typically originates from a tumour in the appendix.
She was referred to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, one of only two hospitals specialising in PMP. The cancer in her appendix had ruptured, leaving other nodules in the rest of her body.
The 10-hour operation
Claire, a mother of two, underwent the operation on July 15, 2025, to remove her appendix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, gall bladder, spleen, uterus, and cervix. Her greater omentum, belly button, peritoneum lining and part of her bowel were also removed, and her liver was partially cut away. Her diaphragm was scraped and bladder stripped.
During surgery, she received HIPEC chemotherapy, which involves heated chemotherapy circulated around the abdomen.
Recovery and fundraising
After four and a half weeks in hospital, she was discharged and has been left with bowel problems, but has no evidence of disease at the moment. She will be monitored for the next 20 years.
Claire, a hairdresser, said: "I felt really quite scared and quite alone after my diagnosis. When you’ve got a rare cancer and it’s not something you’ve heard of before there’s not a lot of people to talk to about it."
She added: "It’s quite scary but I’m lucky I had professionals who knew what they were doing. It’s called the mother of all surgeries because of the severity of it."
A year into her recovery, Claire has raised £16,002 for the charity Pseudomyxoma Survivor through a masked ball on July 11 and other events. She said: "I believe deeply that if you’re willing to take, you must also be willing to give back. And here I am today, standing in front of you, living that promise."
Maddy Lomas, trustee at Pseudomyxoma Survivor, said: "As a charity, we are incredibly touched by the effort and generosity behind this fundraising event. What makes it even more special is that it has been organised by someone who knows first hand what it means to face a diagnosis of PMP."
