NHS nurse fights rare cancer after finding lump in her leg

Fundraiser now raising cash for mum, 41

- Thomas Cooper [e-mail]

AN NHS nurse is now fighting her own health battle - after being struck down with a rare cancer.

Tanya Sanderson was diagnosed with pleomorphic liposarcoma in April. The mental health nurse's ordeal began when she noticed a 'small lump' on the back of her left thigh in 2023.

Mum-of-two Tanya initially thought it was nothing to worry about, until her leg began to hurt in January.

A visit to the Royal Stoke University Hospital and a followup appointment at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham soon confirmed the worst. Now she is warning others to be vigilant of the symptoms.

The 41-year-old, of Trentham, said: "Honestly, I thought the lump was just some kind of muscle. I just assumed I'd done too much in the gym or that maybe it was from riding the clutch in my car. I kept joking about it for ages, asking people to touch it.

"But after about 18 months, it started to hurt. It felt like I had a bit of sciatica or something. My leg started to go numb. Then I noticed I was feeling physically unwell: I was having brain fog and extreme fatigue and the lump was getting bigger.