'I was told I may die after giving birth, the only sign was something all women get'

A new mum who kept getting urinary tract infections had no idea she had a life-threatening issue. Vicki Steyert visited the doctor when she was pregnant with her second son, Charlie, during the summer of 2020 while her eldest son, Alex, was just four.

She noticed her bowelhabits had changed and there was blood in her poo. After blood and stool tests, results came back clear. The mum-of-two from Wigan also noticed she kept getting urinary tract infections (UTIs), with the infections carrying on after she gave birth to her second son, Charlie, who is now three years old.

Eventually, the 33-year-old had a scan of her bladder in May 2021, with the radiographer making a chance discovery when he spotted unusual signs in her liver.

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“They called me back the same day, and then a CT scan and colonoscopy confirmed that I had advanced bowel cancer that had spread to my liver," Vicki told Manchester Evening News. "Charlie was just six weeks old at the time, so the cancer had been there throughout my pregnancy. It’s a miracle I had no complications and a healthy baby."

After her diagnosis, Vicki was referred to The Christie’s local treatment centre in Wigan and was told that, because of the spread of the cancer, her treatment would be palliative – meaning she was terminally ill and would die eventually.

“I was only 33 and a mum to a new-born and a four-year-old, so even though I had suspected that something was wrong, to be given that news was devastating,” she continued.

Vicki started on chemotherapy and a targeted treatment called panitumumab in August 2021. Her cancer markers, which had initially been at 500, came right down to three.

Vicki's treatment team were so happy with her progress that they wanted to see if she was eligible to have part of her liver removed, known as a resection, to try and get rid of the cancer. Unfortunately, after many scans, she was told this wasn’t possible as her cancer had spread too far.

She then got a second opinion from a surgeon in Scotland, who confirmed that she wasn’t eligible for a resection. But after all those gutting blows, the surgeon gave a ray of hope. The surgeon explained how the NHS was shortly going to be offering liver transplants to certain patients with bowel cancer, and that she might be eligible.

Vicki had to be doing well on treatment for two years before she could be considered for the operation, and she hit this milestone in August 2023. In total, she had around 60 sessions of treatment. Vicki was added to the waiting list in February 2024 and, at last, had her surgery in Leeds in the summer.

Vicki is the second person in the country to have a liver transplant for advanced bowel cancer. The operation and previous treatment – chemotherapy, targeted treatment, and bowel surgery – mean she’s now cancer-free.

She had her cancer treatment at The Christie NHSFoundation Trust, a specialist cancer centre in Manchester, and her transplant at Leeds Teaching HospitalsNHS Trust.

Now 37, Vicki, who works in pharmacy deployment, said: "My team at Leeds didn’t just look after me, they thought about my family as well.

"They gave me a children’s book so that we could talk to Alex about what was going on. We thought he might be a bit freaked out but loved it and brought it to school to show his friends." But Vicki's recovery after the operation wasn’t straightforward. The first liver transplant didn’t work, so she had to have an emergency transplant a few days later.

Vicki then had quite a few complications and ended up in hospitalfor around four months. Yet, despite all the challenges she faced, her second surgery was successful, and Vicki’s most recent scans show that she’s still cancer-free. Now, Vicki and her medical team are optimistic about the future. And Vicki's family, including husband of nine years, Rob, are looking forward to the coming years.

“When people say that cancer is a rollercoaster, they’re not wrong,” says Vicki. “I’ve been through so many highs and lows throughout this whole experience.

"Because I was in hospital for so long, I missed the whole summer with my boys and Charlie’s first day of school. My family have been brilliant throughout my recovery.

"Alex and Charlie were such superstars – both jumping out of their seats to fetch things for me or look after me when I got up. It’s taken a while but I’m getting there.

"I’ve been enjoying family days out and we’re hoping to go abroad for a holiday in May – the boys are desperate to get back on a plane again.

“I’m so grateful to both families who agreed to donate their loved one’s liver – they’ve given me the greatest gift. I can’t thank my teams at The Christie and Leeds enough for giving me a second chance at life. Dr Marti, my Christie consultant, really listened to me and understood what I needed.

"I always felt like she was in my corner, which made all the difference. Being able to have my cancer treatment close to home at The Christie at Wigan was also great. The nurses were brilliant and looked after me so well,” Vicki adds.

“It’s brilliant to see that Vicki is now doing so well after everything she’s been through,” commented Dr Kalena Marti, Vicki’s consultant oncologist at The Christie.

"Although not everyone with bowel cancer that’s spread to the liver will be able to have a transplant, it’s amazing that we can now offer them to eligible patients who otherwise would have limited treatment options.”

Dr Rebecca Jones, Vicki’s hepatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “This program is a new one and still in its early days, but we’re delighted with how Vicki is getting on.

"Transplantation is successful for most recipients but, when serious complications arise, such as those that Vicki experienced, it can be a long road to recovery.

"Vicki faced everything with a fortitude, determination and resilience that inspired us all. Everyone who looked after her looks forward to seeing her in the outpatient setting now, hearing of her excursions with her family and watching her return to a more normal life.

"As Vicki’s story clearly shows, organ donation saves lives. It’s important that people sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and make their decision known to their loved ones. Families will always be consulted on any decisions around organ donation.”

Join the NHS Organ Donor Register by calling 0300 123 23 23, or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk