A GRANDMA-OF-EIGHT fears she could be living with cancer after an operation was cancelled four times.

Angela Higgins, from Walney was due to go under the knife at Furness General Hospital to have a large cyst-like lump on her lower stomach removed.

But despite fears the lump maybe cancerous, the former supermarket worker's slot was cancelled four times - with the last appointment cancelled just two hours before.

Mrs Higgins said her fears were compounded after she lost her mother two years ago to stomach cancer. She said: “I am not happy, full stop.

“I am waiting on my results for this to see if it is cancerous or not as well, I have not really eaten I have been that upset.

“I feel sick all the time, and I already suffer with anxiety and depression and this had just made things so much worse."

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust has written to the 60-year-old apologising for the cancellations.

The West Shore Road resident was originally admitted to Accident and Emergency with the lump on July 2, 2019. Since then her operation was scheduled to be on September 2, September 9, November 4, and November 11.

Hospital bosses said the most recent operation date had to be cancelled due to a lack of post surgery beds.

Mrs Higgins, said: “I was waiting for my operation from 10am until 3pm on Monday, and I was only informed of what was happening at 1pm.

“I was supposed to be meeting with a liaison officer when I was there, but she just told the nurse what was going on who had to give me the news alongside a £5 note for a taxi home.

“They found the cyst two years ago and it has grown since then.

“It is beyond a joke, I was a wreck in July because of this, and now it is all happening at the worst time around the anniversary or my mother’s death.

“My mother died of stomach cancer two years ago, and I am terrified that it could be the same thing.

“I have not worked in a while as I have been on long-term sick as I have a non-cancerous brain tumour, so I am not supposed to get stressed.

“The other issue is that this has put my full knee surgery on hold.

“There is one thing I would like to say though, I am not blaming the nurses or doctors for this issue, they have been great and I have no problem with them at all, it is the administrative side that is at fault here.”

Foluke Ajayi, chief operating officer at UHMBT, said 'decisions to cancel or postpone operations are not made lightly'. She said: “We’re really sorry that we were unable to complete the procedure for this lady. We do not postpone or cancel operations or procedures lightly and indeed make every effort to ensure we only do so when it is completely unavoidable. We have already contacted her and will continue to do so to help explain the circumstances and ensure we can give her a new date as soon as possible.”