One woman suffering from terminal cancer declares that she will make the best of her remaining years.
Vicky McDowell is 32 years old from Manchester. Secondary breast cancer refers to cancers that have spread beyond the breast. Vicky has tumours in her spine and lungs as well as the liver, brain, and liver.
After taking a leave of her job in digital marketing this January, she now takes morphine and has undergone chemotherapy to combat the disease.
She has chosen to ignore her terminal diagnosis and to keep her smile on the face of it all. [her]’.
Vicky McDowell, 32, was diagnosed with terminal cancer recently and received a prognosis for a few more years. After having her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2015, Vicky McDowell, 32, was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. Her spine, lungs and liver are all affected.
Vicky is pictured here with Rupert the puppy. Vicky has been on morphine since January and underwent chemotherapy. She also took a leave of her job in digital marketing this January. However, despite the prognosis she received for cancer in her future and the many challenges that lie ahead of her, Vicky has made a vow to remain positive and have fun despite all this.
Photo of the 32-year old with boyfriend Fraser.
She runs Instagram and TikTok accounts @dyingforafollowing, which she set up to poke fun at her diagnosis and document her life after she found out that her diagnosis was terminal.
Vicky was diagnosed with breast carcinoma in 2015. She was just 25 years old when the diagnosis was made.
After undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy, she was finally given all the green light.
The However, A 32-year old woman was diagnosed with secondary cancer of the breast at the beginning of 2012.
Following her January leave, the marketing professional she worked for had to put her on morphine. She also received chemotherapy. The middle of June was the end of her last round of chemotherapy.
Vicky has since had to add seizure medication to her routine, after suffering a seizure while her puppy’s dog breeder came round for a visit.
After drinking sparkling water, she began to convulse. She now takes Levetiracetam, a medication used to treat epilepsy, daily.
FEMAIL was informed by the 32-year old that seizures were caused by her brain tumors shrinking and the resulting liquid being filled. FEMAIL had an MRI scan which revealed this.
Vicky, 32, explained in one of the clips that she was hospitalized after two seizures. Vicky quipped, “Bae in my birthday bay”, and then told her fans she’d be getting anti-seizure medicine.
FEMAIL reported that the seizures began after the FEMAIL MRI revealed more brain tumour shrinkage. The space was then expanded and filled with liquid.
I am for the foreseeable now on seizure medications, four tablets per day. It is important to see the positives.
“I now have seizures, but also less brain cancer. There is always a silver lining to every situation. She said that although I have seizure, it is due to something positive.
Vicky was given her terminal diagnosis on March 1, and has since turned her attention towards living every day, even though it’s ‘liberating’ in a strange way.
She said: ‘It’s just like, well today could be the last day, so what am I doing?’
“You want to be able to have a normal life, work and make friends. You also want to get married and adopt a dog.
‘If I have only got a few years which is what I am predicted then they are going to be some good f*****g years.’
She has lived with her mother, 32, in Manchester, since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Recently, she bought her puppy, and will soon live with Fraser, her boyfriend.
“We were friends from school,” she explained. He was actually 2 academic years older than me. He sent me a message about a podcast, and we got in touch again.
Vicky is seen in another Vicky video being admitted to the hospital due to a chest infection. Vicky updates her followers once again. The comedian wrote that Vicky was sharing both the good times and the bad.
“We started out hanging out together as friends, and our friendship grew.” After a while, we dated and I was diagnosed. This was not something the boy signed up for, but he is enjoying it immensely.
He explained that they share a morbid sense humor and will joke about it often.
Vicky stated that she is outspoken and has a dark sense humour. She also believes she was unfiltered and has a huge personality which helped her cope with the situation.
‘I’m just a little bit more able to take it in my stride then maybe people who struggle more with putting themselves out there and being like f**k it. It might be a blessing, but I consider it a privilege.
Vicky employs this sense of humor in her TikTok videos.
Vicky said, in one of the clips she made on her 32nd Birthday, “Good Morning everyone.” It’s the 22nd of June. It’s Wednesday.
I am currently 32 years of age. I’m also in a hospital Bay. Then she quips, “Bae is in the birthday bay.”
Vicky receives treatment for a chest injury in another video.
“I am not only posting good times but also bad times,” she wrote. This is why I consider this a great time, as it’s a ride for free. It isn’t a great time. You’ll be kept informed of any unforeseen events.
She also hopes to include recommendations on how to help a friend, family member or loved one who has cancer.
She also wants to start a podcast in which she talks to patients with chronic diseases like endometriosis, to increase awareness. Additionally, she stated she hopes to include guest posts by people living with chronic illnesses on her website.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Vicky said she is creating her own little legacy through her social media content, adding: ‘My social medias are a bit of a diary to myself.’
Vicky now has a website, which she intends to make available to other cancer patients.
“What I really want to do is a huge, unpaid job.” [asset-rich]She explained that this was a resource I wish I could have, which is easily and readily accessible and will be very helpful if someone is diagnosed with cancer.
Vicky said that she wanted to be clear about how many people can access her support by creating her website.
While there may be stigma surrounding claiming benefits, the “whole point” is that there’s a support network and that’s not a trick.
Vicky added that if she only has a few years she wants to make sure they are ‘f*****g good ones’ spent with friends and family and on holiday
Because she’s aware that she’s terminally ill she’s living for the now. This, she said, is a liberating feeling.
Vicky hopes that Vicky will also include suggestions on how to support family members, friends or loved ones with cancer.
She said, “I would like to have my social media channels and do a podcast. Talk to people about topics and get to know them.”
“I would like to also cover Crohn’s disease and Endometriosis.”
When asked how people respond to the news that you are diagnosed with cancer, Vicky explained that while it is normal for someone to apologize, Vicky stated that it was the worst thing they could hear.
“It is not what you need right now. You can still have your own pity party. All of these things are possible. There are two options: you can cry or stay in bed.
“But ultimately you will all be cried out. Well what the f**k now? Because I can’t stay sad. So what now? What do you want? It is my goal to be alive.
“This diagnosis gave me purpose,” she said. This diagnosis has provided me with a purpose. It was both quite sad, and also very liberating. Although it is unexpected, I am determined to make the most of every day.