In this special episode, I speak with a mate of mine, Aimee Hill.
At the end of last year, when Aimee was 6 months pregnant, she went into a local optician for what was supposed to be a routine eye test.
During the examination however, the optician identified something of concern, specifically in regards to Aimee’s left eye.
This resulted in a referral to a local hospital, so Aimee could be assessed further.
Mere weeks after that initial hospital appointment, and Aimee found herself in a specialist eye unit in Liverpool being officially diagnosed with malignant melanoma, as a cancerous tumour had been found at the back of her left eye.
Not only was this of course, a complete shock, but Aimee then had to consider treatment options and the best way forward while heavily pregnant and during a global pandemic — I’m happy to say now though, that Aimee’s little boy Evan was born earlier this year!
In this episode, Aimee candidly and bravely shares her experience in great detail from beginning to the present day. We talk about how she managed to cope emotionally and how ultimately, it was the the life growing inside of her, and the support of those closest, that kept her going at the most difficult of times.
Aimee wants to share her journey in the hope that it’ll raise awareness about the importance of getting regular eye tests, and contribute to the removing of the stigma and fear surrounding the discussion of cancer openly, especially considering that 50% of people in the UK will be affected by cancer at some point in their lives.
I feel really privileged that I’ve been able to help in some small way by sharing this story with our audience, and as I say during the episode, I'm really in awe of Aimee's strength and courage, in what has been and still is, a period of immense difficulty and uncertainty.
Thanks for listening.
Rhys X