A MUM-OF-ONE from Barrow has spoken out about the rare cancer she suffered from which mimicked the signs and symptoms of pregnancy.

Claire Burton was over the moon when she thought she was about to have another baby in 2013 but her joy soon turned to terror after doctors realised she was experiencing a molar pregnancy.

Molar pregnancies are very rare and happen in only one in 590 pregnancies.

The benign cancer grows and behaves the same as a foetus in the womb meaning women usually find out after their first scan.

Miss Burton said: "We had been trying for a while but it turned out to be a molar pregnancy.

"It behaves just like a baby and you feel like you're pregnant, but it turns out to be cancer.

"You don't get to mourn your baby because you're too busy thinking, 'oh my god, I've got cancer' and then life becomes full of doctors and appointments and treatment."

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The Action for Children co-ordinator had the choriocarcinoma growth removed by medics and began treatment in Sheffield, one of only three hospitals which deal with the illness.

After almost two years of being monitored, Miss Burton believed she had fallen pregnant again.

She said: "We realised we weren't pregnant and that it had spread to my lung.

"We had no idea how it happened but there was a lesion.

"I had consultants telling me that they had never seen it return and I couldn't believe it because I had felt OK, just a bit chesty and a cough.

"I felt like the op was so unjustified because I felt OK but afterwards, the surgeon told me he was very glad he cut it out of me because it was very nasty."

Miss Burton recovered from her operation in Blackpool and praised the work of all medical professionals involved in her recovery.

Now, Miss Burton attends Recover and Rediscover cancer support group, led by Joanne Jagger from Dalton.

She first started going last year and said: "There were no groups I felt I could go to because what I suffered was so rare.

"We are all in the same boat there and I just want to raise awareness now."

Recover and Rediscover meets twice a fortnight in Barrow and District Disability Association from 2pm-4pm.

For more information email randrcove@yahoo.com or contact Joanne Jagger on 07710 250183.

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