Terminally-Ill Bride Gets The Wedding Of Her Dreams Thanks To The People Of Derry

LEAH Simpson is a 35-year-old friendly and outgoing woman who, having moved to Derry fifteen years ago, found love with local Creggan man Tony McLaughlin.

 

- Eimear McGovern

With a family of fi ve children between them, Leah and Tony were looking forward to a long and happy life together.

Taking care of five children aged between 16 and just four meant that Leah often found herself putting herself on the back burner.

After she heard the story of Shauna Liddy, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer, Leah finally made the time to go for a smear.

“Reading her story inspired me to go and get a smear done. I’d gotten the letters but you just keep putting them aside and saying I’ll get that done, I’ll get that done but reading her story reminded me I need to go and look after myself,” said Leah.

Putting her own health aside to deal with her youngest child Lexie’s diabetes diagnosis and her son’s epilepsy, Leah soon found out she was now facing her own difficulties.

After attending a smear, doctors would eventually tell her she was suffering from cervical cancer.

“I think it was February 15th, 2016. They said it was Stage 1 B1 and that it was curable with a hysterectomy,” said Leah.

This was the start of what was set to be a rollercoaster ride for the family of seven.

Leah went to the Mater Hospital in Belfast, where she began a long course of treatment for cervical cancer.

“I had the hysterectomy a few weeks later and when I went back they said there was a swollen lymph node so they had to do chemo and radiotherapy for six weeks.”

Undergoing a massive operation like a hysterectomy took its toll on Leah, but as her children were unaware of her cancer diagnosis, she and partner Tony put on a brave face.

“The kids didn’t know and I was on a cancer unit so it was hard to get to see them,” she said.

After a long stay in Belfast for treatment, Leah finally got the all-clear in October, a dream come true for most cancer patients.