EXCLUSIVE Mother who had trouble eating and ended up being diagnosed with deadly cancer finally gets her 'fairytale' wedding
It had been suggested the 39-year-old was suffering from acid reflux when she began to have trouble swallowing.
Certain foods like bread and potatoes would just seem to get stuck in her throat, and Kerry says her worrying symptoms became increasingly unbearable.
'I'd been having trouble swallowing for about two years and it just kept getting worse,' she says.
'It got to the point where I couldn't keep much food down - and the only things I could eat were soups and ice lollies and custard!'
Kerry adds: 'I even ended up eating in a separate room from everyone else because my little boy would get worried.
'I had been told it was acid reflux, but I was concerned it was something more.'
Anxious about having problems on her wedding day after deciding to tie the knot with her partner of 20 years Scott Catterall in January 2024, just two months before, the former dog groomer saw a specialist and underwent a series of scans and tests.
And she was devastated when, in March last year, she was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.
'After having the tests I was told it would take two weeks to get the results through … and got a call the next day saying the specialist wanted to see me.
'As soon as I walked in the room I could tell by his face that it wasn't good news and I said 'it's cancer isn't it'. I collapsed when he said he was sorry but yes, it was.'
Kerry, from St Helens, had a 6.2cm tumour in her oesophagus, the tube that connects the throat to the stomach.
So when she should have been looking for wedding dresses and choosing a bridal bouquet, Kerry was beginning a gruelling 10 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
'My first thought was would I see my children grow up? It was horrendous.
'I didn't react how I thought I would. I thought I wouldn't get out of bed and would cry every single day (and I did cry for a couple of days).
'But then it was like fight or flight. Survival mode kicked in.
'Cancer had taken so many people I loved, my dad and my nan; Scott's sister, and others - it had wiped out half our family.
'I looked at the kids and thought it's not having me.
'I found out everything I could, and I got my battle gear on.'
Kerry was treated at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool which she says 'was amazing' - 'the staff there are brilliant, especially my oncologist, Dr Amy Jackson' - and underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and 25 rounds of radiotherapy, as well as taking 10 chemotherapy tablets a day.
She also had a feeding tube fitted after being told the treatment would make her symptoms worse before they got better, but she says: 'I never used my feeding tube, other than to take the chemo tablets which I crushed because they were like huge torpedoes.
'I discovered that some people are cured of cancer and then have to learn to eat again, and I didn't want to get over one problem, only to have another.
'Scott and I made nutritious soups and smoothies and I took manuka honey - doctors were amazed that instead of losing weight, I put it on!
'We didn't cancel the wedding, but we did put it on hold so I could put all my energy into my treatment.
'Scott was amazing. He was there for me every step of the way - proof that he's always been the right man for me.'
When Kerry was finally given the all-clear in December last year, she smiles: 'I was on such a high.
'Then there was panic. There was a wedding to plan - so we went at it all guns blazing.'
Kerry and Scott, 45, had decided to get married after their eight-year-old son Charlie asked why Kerry had a different surname from him and his sister Amelia, three.
'He said he wanted us to be a family,' says Kerry, 'and while we explained that we were a family, he said he wanted us all to have the same name. It struck at my heart.'
Scott, who gave up his job as a travel agent to look after Kerry, says: 'We had always planned to get married - we'd been engaged for 16 years - but something always seemed to get in the way.
'Then we realised there would always be a reason not to do it - so let's just do it.'
On Wednesday there were tears of joy as the couple married in an emotional ceremony at the 17th century Tempest Arms near Skipton, surrounded by close family and friends.
It was a celebration, Kerry says, not just of her love for Scott, but of her relief and happiness at having been given the all-clear.
'It really is our fairytale ending,' she adds. 'If ever there was a time for a big celebration, this was it.
'Marrying Scott means more to me than ever after what we've been through.
'There were times when I feared it was never going to happen,' Kerry admits.
'But I pushed away the negative thoughts and the wedding became my goal to getting better.
'It wasn't just about getting married, it was a party to say we got through it as a team - and it was a big 'up yours' to cancer!'
Scott says: 'Having gone through so much put everything into perspective. We had all our family and friends there and every guest had helped us to get to where we were. They helped us both through.'
Son Charlie was ring boy and daughter Amelia was a flower girl and bridesmaid.
Kerry said: 'Walking up the aisle was wonderful. I thought about Charlie wanting us to be a family and have the same name, and I thought of how hard going through cancer had been - but we did it!'
'It was an emotional day. There were tears,' smiles Scott.
'But they were tears of joy and happiness because now we can get on with the rest of our lives and making the most of every single day together.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
16 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘Hundreds of sick children to be evacuated from Gaza for NHS treatment in UK'
HUNDREDS of ill and injured children are to be evacuated from war-torn Gaza for NHS treatment in the UK under plans set to be announced within weeks. Up to 300 children will enter the country to receive much-needed, free medical care, a source claims, as the harrowing humanitarian crisis continues to grow. 4 4 A senior Whitehall source told The Sunday Times the plan will operate "in parallel" with a scheme run by humanitarian initiative Project Pure Hope. The project was set up by volunteer medical professionals to bring sick and injured Palestinian children to the UK for treatment. Just three children have been given medical visas since the war began in October 2023. The plans approvals come after months of work done by the initiative that is funded by private donations. It has been nearly a week since Israel, under international pressure amid growing scenes of starving children, announced limited humanitarian pauses and airdrops meant to get more food to Gaza. The population of over two million people now largely rely on aid to survive. But the UN has said far too little aid is coming in, with months of supplies piled up outside Gaza waiting for Israeli approval. Trucks that enter are mostly stripped of supplies by desperate people and criminal groups before reaching warehouses for distribution. Experts this week said a worst-case scenario of famine was occurring. On Saturday, Gaza's health ministry said seven Palestinians had died of malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours, including a child. Israel to allow foreign aid to parachute into Gaza but continues bombardment despite growing global pleas for ceasefire The UN has said 500 to 600 trucks of aid are needed daily. Families of the 50 hostages still in Gaza fear they are going hungry too, and blame Hamas, after the militants released images of an emaciated hostage, Evyatar David. Hamas has said it will never lay guns down unless an independent Palestinian state is established and its capital is Jerusalem. The militant group said it was giving a statement "in response to media reports quoting US envoy Steve Witkoff, claiming [Hamas] has shown willingness to disarm". It said: "We reaffirm that resistance and its arms are a legitimate national and legal right as long as the occupation continues. "This right is recognised by international laws and norms, and it cannot be relinquished except through the full restoration of our national rights - first and foremost, the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital." It comes as at least 51 people - including 27 aid workers - have been killed so far on Saturday in Israeli attacks across Gaza. Over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the devastating war on Gaza amid a deepening hunger crisis - coupled with Israel's cruel blockade of aid deliveries. 4
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
How US doctor helped fuel public fears over 'toxic' sunscreens as reality star Sam Faiers faces backlash for not putting cream on her three children
When reality TV star Sam Faiers revealed last week her children don't wear sun protection, she became the latest celebrity to claim that sunscreens are 'harmful' and full of 'toxic ingredients'. Posting to her 2.5million followers on Instagram, the former The Only Way Is Essex star, 34, shared photographs of her children Paul, nine, Rosie, seven, and Edward, two, as they holidayed in Majorca. She wrote: 'My whole family don't actually wear sunscreen. 'Over the years, the kids have built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun. 'Of course, if it's really hot and the sun feels too harsh, I'll make sure we head into the shade… I'm really careful about sunscreen in general, because a lot of them are actually pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients.' Other celebrities have adopted the same approach: influencers Kelsey Parker and Lauryn Goodman have told their followers they ignore NHS advice to wear sun protection factor of at least 30. Health experts are horrified at what they see as a dangerous conspiracy theory, fearing a fall in sunscreen use will lead to a rise in skin cancer. According to market researchers Mintel, 72 per cent of UK adults used sun protection in the 12 months to September 2024, falling from 77 per cent in the same period in 2023. So, how did the worrying pseudo-science about sunscreen take hold? The Mail on Sunday has traced its genesis back to a scientific paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and posted on Twitter in May 2019. The paper, by 19 scientists, tested four sunscreens on the market and found the concentrations of some chemicals exceeded thresholds established by the US Food and Drug Administration. It made clear further studies were needed to determine the clinical significance: 'These results do not indicate individuals should refrain from the use of sunscreen.' But the next day, New York medic Dr Tro Kalayjian, a specialist in obesity, stepped into the debate. He reposted the paper and told his 158,000 Twitter followers: 'Have said this many times now: Be careful what you smear on yourself and your children.' Over the next six years, the 2019 paper – Effect of Sunscreen Application Under Maximal Use Conditions on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients – has become one of the most hotly debated scientific works on Twitter and social media site BlueSky. Just last month, Dr Tro, as he refers to himself online, wrote on the website of his company Toward Health: 'Our skin and our gut are literally the physical ways our bodies interact with the world. 'They're how we absorb sunlight and nutrition… but also how toxins, heavy metals, parasites, plastics, and chemicals make their way into our bodies.' He added: 'I often tell patients, 'If you wouldn't trust it inside your body, think twice before putting it on your skin or in your mouth'.' While Dr Tro does not advise against all sunscreens, he says some – like other cosmetics – contain harmful substances. He says barriers such as clothing, hats and shade should be considered. He founded Toward Health, which specialises in obesity treatment and diabetes management in New York in 2017 after losing 150lb on a low-carbohydrate diet. Dr Tro told The MoS: 'I understand those who deeply value public health messaging may struggle with the idea previously recommended practices can become outdated or even unsafe. 'It can feel more comfortable to trust the guidance as-is and view any challenge to it as fearmongering or misinformation. 'But the truth is, these issues are complex. People benefit most when they think critically and independently. Public health messages are important and should be heard, but should also be open to question, especially when the science evolves faster than the guidelines.' UK doctors dismissed the scares. Skin cancer prevention doctor Ross Perry said he is 'horrified' by influencers' comments, calling Ms Faiers 'naive and irresponsible'. Dr Perry told The MoS: 'Children do not build up a tolerance to sun exposure – they are just storing up more sun damage for later on in life. 'It is a well-known fact if children get any degree of sunburn, it more than doubles their risk of getting skin cancer at a later date so that is completely false and misleading. 'Remember any tan or sunburn is creating damage to the skin so SPF should always be worn in the sun.' HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THE SUN To stay sun safe, experts recommend people: Seek shade between 11am and 3pm, which is when the sun's rays are typically strongest Wear at least SPF 30 sunscreen Apply sunscreen 30 minutes, and again just before, UV exposure Opt for water-resistant sunscreen if necessary and reapply after swimming, sweating or using a towel Cover up with protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses Be extra careful with babies and young children. Infants under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight Do not use sunbeds or sunlamps Checks moles and skin for any changes
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
UK has got ‘fat' on decades of free labour by women, says MP Jess Phillips
Labour MP Jess Phillips has said the UK has got 'fat' from the free labour of women for decades. The minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls said the country has relied on women providing charity, adding it was a 'fundamentally sexist' practice that meant the government was less willing to provide the service itself. She said she 'hated' the title of her role and added that safeguarding against gender-based violence should be 'business as usual in every single government department'. The Birmingham Yardley MP also suggested there was an issue in Whitehall where government departments viewed violence against women and girls as solely a Home Office issue. Phillips said she had to push for the safety of women and girls to be a 'mainstream concern', which she said had not always made her 'popular as a government minister'. Asked what pushback she had received from ministers or civil servants, she said: 'People directly say things like, 'That's the Home Office's job'. 'Why is it my job to do healthy relationship education in schools? Why is it my job to provide mental health support for whatever reason it is that you ended up in that [situation]?'. 'Do you know what it is? Free labour of women is where it comes from. 'It comes from a fundamentally sexist place in that women didn't have these services, so a load of women across the country got together and made these services and offered them to other women for free, and they didn't get paid for their labour. 'So they put down a mattress and made a refuge. They set up counselling services and got people who were trained to be therapists and got their voluntary hours and set it up for free.' Phillips said people do not recognise how heavily the UK has relied on women providing support that previously did not exist. She added: 'Nobody offered diabetes medicine for free. Pharmaceutical companies didn't go, 'Wow, this is really important. People will die without this. We'll just give it away for free'. 'That is what the women in our country did in the 1960s and 1970s and 1980s and we got fat on that expectation that that service will be provided for free. 'And we also belittled it as an issue that wasn't absolutely, fundamentally mainstream to the safety and security of our nation. 'Undoing that is really hard and it's going to take a long time.'
