Misdiagnosed tumour 'I SAVED MY OWN LIFE!'

Denise says trust your gut if you think something isn't right -forking out $280 led to a shocking discovery

- Kasia Jillings

When Denise Hyde, lead vocalist of Bay of Plenty cover band Shabang, found herself exhausted and struggling with the previously effortless demands of performing and general daily tasks, she knew it was time to get some answers about her health.

What she never expected was that taking matters into her own hands would lead to discovering a 6.4kg cancerous tumour the size of a soccer ball in her right ovary.

"$280 saved my life," exclaims Denise, 51, who chose to pay for a private scan after struggling with gradual weight gain and intermittent bleeding for 18 months.

Repeated medical visits attributed the Tauranga mother's symptoms to perimenopause, even though blood tests indicated she wasn't yet menopausal.

"I was told it was quite normal in this phase of my life and was prescribed a pill to try and stop the bleeding," she recalls.

From her first GP visit in September 2022, Denise followed every medical recommendation, including appointments with a menopause nurse, the suggested pills, which gave her headaches, tried different diets and in April this year, she started the process for hormone replacement therapy.

"I was keen to try anything as my abdomen was getting huge," say Denise, who was desperate for a solution so she could return to the singing and performing she loved. "I was unable to bend down to do up my shoes and driving was becoming uncomfortable."