It will be a very poignant Mother’s Day for Perthshire gran Pamela Ross this Sunday – having had a tough year battling ovarian cancer.
The 67-year-old, who lives in Scone, said it was the support of her family, particularly her daughter, Louise, and granddaughter, Maisie, who kept her going through a difficult year of surgery and treatment.
“This Mother’s Day will be poignant because my daughter really didn’t think I was going to see Christmas last year,” Pamela said.
“It didn’t sound great when I first got the diagnosis and this happened just before Mother’s Day 2023.
“So this year it will be special.
“I have been invited to my daughter’s for afternoon tea this Sunday.
“And I am really looking forward to being able to spend it with her and my grand-daughter, Maisie.”
She continued: “I felt very tearful during the first two weeks after my doctor told me I had cancer.
“It would have been easy to give up. But then Maisie looked at me one day and said; ‘granny you are very sad.’
“And I just thought, ‘I can’t have this.’ She helped to keep me going through the toughest days.”
When was Pamela diagnosed?
In February last year Pamela started experiencing symptoms including stomach pain and bloating.
Her daughter Louise, 34, is a coeliac and suspected her mum might also be and so she encouraged her to contact her GP.
Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten.
Pamela, a retired NHS manager within Tayside, said: “Ovarian cancer can be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) as the symptoms are similar so it isn’t always easy to detect.
“Louise had done some research and thought she had coeliac disease.
“She had her bloods taken, which confirmed it, and she thought I was probably the same.
“I had some bloating and have always had a nervous tummy, but I had dismissed it.
“But it was Louise who said I really needed to do something about it.
“I had my bloods done on the Tuesday and the next day I got a phone call from my doctor.
“She asked if I had someone with me and I remember thinking ‘this doesn’t sound good’.
“She then told me I had the blood markers indicating I had ovarian cancer.
“I was completely shocked.
“Your whole world changes in a split second. It’s life-changing.”
Starting chemotherapy treatment
Pamela was referred to a gynaecologist at Ninewells Hospital who confirmed the diagnosis and did a biopsy.
It was recommended that Pamela start chemotherapy at Perth Royal Infirmary and her treatment began at the start of April 2023.
She said: “I lost my hair after chemotherapy.
“But I couldn’t stay down for long with Maisie by my side.
“When Maisie saw my bald head for the first time she just said, ‘hello beautiful.’
“Even on those mornings when life felt overwhelming my daughter, Louise was always there for me.
“We’d talk on the phone every single day. She was and is an absolute star, checking in with me to keep my spirits high.
“I’m also blessed with a wonderful husband Ken, 72, who has been really supportive and I have a lot of good friends.”
Operation to remove a lot of the cancer
After six sessions, Pamela went to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a major operation on August 23, 2023.
The surgery, which lasted seven hours, included a hysterectomy to remove as much of the cancer as possible.
“Ken and I talked about the surgery because I wasn’t sure I wanted to go through with the operation as it is completely invasive,” she explained.
“But my daughter said ‘look mum we want you around for a lot longer’, so I really just had to bite the bullet.
“Louise was brilliant. She made up a positivity box for me which she brought into hospital.
“She had got all my friends and family to write little poems and cards and the children drew pictures.
“So each day I could pick out a card and read it – the messages kept me going.”
After the operation doctors told Pamela they had been unable to remove all the cancer.
“There are still cancer particles there,” she said.
“But a lot of people can go on to live with cancer for a good while.
“The cancer nurses in Aberdeen were fantastic and all the staff at the chemotherapy unit in Perth have become like my extended family now.
“I have so much to thank them for.”
Pamela is currently receiving the targeted cancer drug Avastin through an intravenous drip once every three weeks.
The treatment changes the way that cells works and it helps the body control the growth of cancer.
Race for Life
One thing which Pamela is passionate about is fundraising for Cancer Research.
This is largely because cancer had overshadowed Pamela’s life long before her own diagnosis.
Her only brother Kenneth Birse was 67 when he died in August 2020, less than two months after being told he had a brain tumour.
And Pamela lost her mum Dorothy Birse, 88, to stomach cancer in March 2017 – just four days after Mother’s Day.
This is why she has taken part in the Race for Life on numerous occasions.
in July last year, just four days after a chemotherapy session, Pamela raised almost £2,000 for Cancer Research UK by taking part in Race for Life Dundee cheered on by her family.
She said: “I felt privileged to be able to Race for Life as when I’d first received my cancer diagnosis I was unsure how long I’d even still be here for.
“I did struggle at one point on the course but Louise was great.
“She helped me to regulate my breathing and was such a motivator on the day.
“Walking over the finish line, there were tears but it felt amazing.”
‘Early detection is so important’
This summer, Pamela has been invited as guest of honour to sound the horn at the start line at this year’s Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life Dundee at Camperdown Park on June 16.
She will be taking part in the event with Louise and Maisie by her side.
“I think it is important to Race for Life, not just for me but for my daughter and my granddaughter.
“This is so scientists can continue to make advances in treatments and find a cure to help beat cancer for future generations.”
She also urges people to be aware of their body and to get checked out by a GP if there are any changes.
“If you notice any changes that are not your normal, seek advice from your doctor.
“Don’t ignore it, early detection is so important.”
‘Mum in a million’
Pamela’s daughter, Louise, couldn’t be prouder of her mum.
She said: “We’re so close. Life has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Mum was my rock when I was diagnosed with diabetes when pregnant.
“Having my daughter Maisie made me realise just how much my own mum has done for me over the years.
“She is amazing and I’m glad to support her at Race for Life because she has shown so much courage.
“My mum really is a mum in a million.”
