A Lancashire mother has been left with just months to live after she disregarded a cancer symptom as a side effect of taking a weight loss injection.
Medics have often warned about the array of side effects caused by fat jabs, such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, as they could be symptomatic of a much more sinister condition.
Dawn Clegg, 51, was using Mounjaro for her diabetes and it was not until earlier this year in March that she started to experience chest pain.
After the debilitating symptom did not ease off, Ms Clegg went to A&E where she had a number of X-rays to assess her health.
Ms Clegg visited A&E after her symptom persisted
|GOFUNDME
The doctors discovered shadows appearing on her lungs, kidneys and breast. She was subsequently diagnosed with soft-tissue cancer, a rare type of the disease called sarcoma.
Sarcoma can appear in various locations throughout the body. As a result, symptoms can vary depending on where the affected tissue is.
General indicators include feeling a lump, or pain, swelling, tenderness, or unexplained weight loss and fatigue - both of which are common symptoms of many forms of the disease.
Now, with less than a year to live, her husband has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to collect donations to go towards a wake and her funeral arrangements.
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“Dawn is an amazing person, and not very patient. Yet, with this illness, she has surprised us both with her patience whilst they tried to find a treatment,” Arron Clegg said.
Now, chemotherapy is the “only available option” but “won’t cure her”, he said. Consequently, he wanted to arrange a large party with all her friends to enjoy while she is alive, “so she can enjoy spending time with loved ones altogether for the last time”.
“In all likelihood, she won’t see her 52nd birthday next June,” he said.
He said her plans are to have a funeral at Lancaster Crematorium, where she will be interred near her daughter, who died during childbirth.
Dawn and Arron Clegg are raising money for a 'living wake'
|GOFUNDME
So far, the fundraiser has collected a whopping £4,600, just £400 away from the target. The couple offered a “truly heartfelt thank you” to everyone who donated.
Currently known side effects of Mounjaro vary, but they can include experiencing nausea, indigestion, constipation and diarrhoea.
Since June this year, individuals can access tirzepatide for free through the NHS to treat diabetes as well as obesity.
If you are experiencing symptoms which worry you, consult your GP or equivalent medical professional for a full assessment.