A woman from the UK has tragically passed away from a rare form of cancer which affects only 2 percent of people.
What makes her story even more frightening is that it began with a symptom many people experience at some point.
Katy Miles was 37, active, and regularly attended CrossFit classes. But during one session, she noticed unexpected bladder control problems while skipping and suddenly felt an urgent need to go to the toilet.
After that incident, Katy booked an appointment with her GP. She was referred for a scan, which revealed an abnormality.
Although doctors initially suggested it could be a less serious cyst, they arranged a biopsy to be sure.
When Katy returned to the medical centre for her results in 2016, she and her husband were confronted with devastating news.
Matt, Katy’s husband and a police officer, said a doctor told them: “I can’t tell you the result because I’m not an oncologist, but you need to be aware that I expect this is going to be bad news.”
Katy was diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC), a subtype that represents roughly 2 percent to 5 percent of ovarian cancer cases.
Matt continued: “I remember Katy had a yellow jumper on and blue jeans, and we walked out into the corridor and went through a set of double doors.
“As soon as we went through those, she literally grabbed hold of me and her legs just buckled.
“Then she just burst into tears because she’d just been told that she had cancer.”
LGSOC typically progresses more slowly than many other ovarian cancers and, according to NHS England, can have a survival rate of up to 10 years.
For Katy and Matt, the diagnosis was a shocking blow that changed everything.
In the years that followed, Katy endured intensive treatment. In November 2016, she underwent a bowel resection to remove cancer cells, and in August 2017 she faced a major operation that lasted eight hours.
Matt added: “The doctor referred to it as finding grains of sand and he was taking each lesion out.”
Alongside this, Katy had a stoma bag fitted and later underwent a full hysterectomy — a life-altering procedure — which, despite the severity of it all, she reportedly faced with remarkable resilience.
She then entered a punishing course of chemotherapy.
By early spring 2024, Katy’s condition and day-to-day wellbeing had deteriorated significantly. Matt recalled Katy telling him: “I can’t do it any more. It’s too much.”
She was struggling with nephrostomies in her back. Staff told her they could replace them, but she no longer felt she had the strength to keep going through more procedures.
Matt said Katy asked for them to be taken out, which was explained to her as a “peaceful way to end” her life.
Matt continued: “I can remember the doctor was crying and so was the nurse. Everyone was in hysterics.
“She had these things taken out and she came back and she was beaming.”
Katy spent her final three weeks in a hospice, with family members taking turns to be by her side. She died on September 24th 2024.
Matt is now raising money for Sue Ryder, the charity that supported Katy during her final days, by taking on a string of endurance challenges.
To honour her, he’s using her police collar number, 1481, as the theme for his fundraising efforts. His challenges include running the London Marathon this weekend and walking the Camino de Santiago route in Spain.
Matt reflected on the ordeal: “It was dramatically unfair.
“To have this disease is one thing, but to have a rare disease, for someone of her age and fitness level, there was no rhyme or reason for it.
“Cancer doesn’t discriminate. If it gets you, it gets you.”
After surpassing his original target of £10,481, Matt increased his fundraising goal to £14,810.
Matt said: “I’ve got an patch of the 1481 that I’ll have on my Sue Ryder shirt and a little cross that Katy had.
“When I have those moments where I don’t want to keep going, those will be the little things that will keep driving me.
“Katy will be at the forefront of my mind. She is the driving force behind it all.”
To donate to Matt’s fundraiser for Sue Ryder, visit his JustGiving page here