Yinka Sowemimo-Coker, 65, has detailed a series of medical encounters that resulted in her pancreatic cancer being overlooked for a year. She first sought medical attention in early 2018, experiencing a symptom she later identified as a red flag for the disease: profuse sweating after climbing stairs.
It took another 12 months and three hospital visits before her cancer was diagnosed. At that point, her survival rate was approximately three percent. Sowemimo-Coker expressed feelings of being dismissed and unheard, leading her to question her own perceptions of her health.
The initial misdiagnosis occurred in 2018 when she was hospitalized for severe back pain that had emerged shortly after the excessive sweating. Doctors diagnosed her with iron-deficient anemia and discharged her two days later. Eight months later, she was readmitted with similar symptoms, this time leading to suspicion of a liver infection. She was discharged again.
In January 2019, Sowemimo-Coker returned to the hospital with a high fever. By this time, she had lost a significant amount of weight, dropping six dress sizes from a 20 to a 6, and her skin had turned yellow due to jaundice. Her physical weakness was so profound that she could no longer walk.
Despite these severe symptoms, she was treated with paracetamol and sent home, with instructions to return the next day for a blood transfusion. However, a friend's encouragement prompted her to seek a second opinion. Upon returning to the hospital, she was admitted and underwent extensive testing over three weeks.
The tests eventually revealed a tumor on her pancreas. Doctors informed her that her chances of surviving the year were minimal. Pancreatic cancer, often called the "silent killer," is notoriously deadly, with only about one in four patients surviving beyond one year. It is frequently diagnosed late due to a lack of early symptoms, making treatment challenging.
Sowemimo-Coker underwent surgery on February 14, 2019, utilizing irreversible electroporation, a technique to destroy cancerous cells. Doctors considered her fortunate that the cancer was detected when it was, as later detection would have made surgery impossible.
Following six months of chemotherapy, she was informed at the end of 2019 that she was in remission. Seven years after her diagnosis, she remains in good health, with recent scans showing no evidence of cancer.
According to Pancreatic Cancer UK, approximately 93 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within five years of diagnosis. Sowemimo-Coker now attends bi-annual check-ups.
She has since established a charity called DChanger to assist individuals navigating their own cancer journeys, collaborating with Pancreatic Cancer UK. The organization highlights the low access to clinical trials for pancreatic cancer, which limits opportunities for patients to gain more time with their families. The disease's origins remain largely unknown, and diagnoses have increased, particularly among women under 55. Risk factors linked to the disease include smoking, obesity, and red meat consumption. Common symptoms include unexplained weight loss, persistent back pain, fatigue, sudden onset diabetes, and changes in bowel movements. While back pain and sweating are frequent, the NHS advises consulting a GP if these symptoms persist and are accompanied by any other potential indicators.