A cancer survivor who always dreamed of having children has opened up about the heartbreaking reality of going into surgical menopause at the age of 34.
Gemma Coleman, who was diagnosed with two separate cancers affecting her ovary and womb in 2022, was told she would never be able to become pregnant after needing two major operations.
The 37-year-old, from Turton, Lancashire, said her diagnosis had “felt like a death sentence, but surviving cancer isn’t the end of the story” as she now hopes to adopt in the future.
“You have to learn to live with the long-term physical and emotional impact of treatment,” she said.
Gemma underwent two major operations, including the removal of her ovaries, womb, fallopian tubes, lymph nodes and affected abdominal tissue, followed by eight months of chemotherapy.
Now three years into remission, Gemma has regular scans and blood tests while managing the long-term effects of treatment including chronic pain, fatigue, bone weakness and fibrosis.