A mother from Gateshead died of ovarian cancer after her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as perimenopause. Kelly Hashemi, 41, first experienced mid-cycle bleeding, bloating and anxiety at age 37. A privately-funded scan eventually revealed stage three ovarian cancer.
Diagnosis after private scan
Kelly's husband Arya, 42, said she raised her concerns with healthcare professionals but was told it was perimenopause. It was only after paying for a private scan that the cancer was found. Kelly, a primary school teacher, underwent two major operations to fight the disease but died in July last year at 41, according to Chronicle Live.
Arya is now taking on the Great North Run this month to raise funds for St Bede's Hospice in Gateshead, where Kelly spent her final three months. His fundraising has already collected more than £5,500 in donations.
Family tributes
Arya described Kelly as extremely community-minded and passionate about teaching. He said: "If you catch ovarian cancer early it's treatable but if you catch it late it's a death sentence. It's a really difficult cancer to deal with once it gets hold."
Kelly and Arya, parents to 13-year-old Tabitha, lived in the Low Fell area of Gateshead. Kelly received her diagnosis in July 2022. Arya recalled: "Things didn't feel right. She kept saying this is something else. When she received her diagnosis the doctor said 'We have caught this at a late stage, you are going to die from this'."
Treatment and recurrence
Arya said Kelly underwent extensive surgery and spent a fortnight in intensive care, followed by months of rehabilitation before starting chemotherapy. In September 2024, she began working in early years at Newcastle High School for Girls, but a scan soon confirmed the cancer had returned. She chose further surgery to gain more time with Tabitha, but the cancer kept growing.
Kelly was admitted to St Bede's Hospice and died in July 2025. Arya, who now lives in Fenham, Newcastle, with Tabitha, said Kelly's biggest worry was not seeing her daughter grow. He said: "She would say 'You just have to put one foot in front of the other'. I wake up every morning and say 'One foot in front of the other'."
Great North Run tribute
On September 13, Arya will run the Great North Run in tribute to Kelly. He said the hospice staff went above and beyond, and that running was something Kelly always praised. He has urged anyone concerned about their health to push for help: "If something feels wrong fight your corner. No one is going to advocate for you, you have to advocate for yourself."
