Laura Dawson, a 44-year-old mother of two from London, began experiencing persistent bloating and morning fatigue that lingered for months. Believing the symptoms were linked to perimenopause, she had no idea they were warning signs of stage three bowel cancer — a diagnosis that would ultimately cut her life short.
It wasn’t until one night, when Dawson was struck by severe abdominal pain, that she sought urgent help at A&E. Doctors performed emergency surgery to remove a bowel obstruction, initially describing the procedure as successful. However, further testing delivered devastating news: Dawson had cancer.
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| Ben Dawson/SWNS |
Her husband, Ben, explained that she underwent six months of chemotherapy, and early scans offered hope.
“We received a clear scan in August, and everything seemed encouraging,” he said. “But in September, we were told the cancer had returned and spread. It was absolutely gut-wrenching.”
After the cancer came back, Dawson tried additional chemotherapy treatments. Two months ago, she made the difficult decision to stop treatment, as it left her feeling increasingly unwell. Instead, she chose to focus on spending meaningful time with her family and close friends.
Dawson received support from St Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham, south-east London, which helped her remain at home for much of her final weeks, ensuring she was comfortable and treated with dignity.
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| Ben Dawson/SWNS |
She passed away on Sunday, June 29, at St Christopher’s Hospice, with her husband by her side.
“The care Laura received from the carers at St Christopher’s allowed her to spend her final two weeks at home in comfort and dignity,” Ben said. “During the nearly three weeks she stayed at the hospice, she was exceptionally well cared for. Everyone showed such compassion and kindness, and that made her final days peaceful. We’re eternally grateful that something so positive could come from such a painful situation.”
Before her passing, Dawson spoke openly about her experience with illness and mortality.
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| Ben Dawson/SWNS |
“Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks,” she said. “As a society, we tend to shy away from the process of dying. By doing so, we reinforce negative ideas around death — assuming it is always painful and traumatic, when it doesn’t have to be.
“Deep down, we all know we’re going to die. Cancer forced me to acknowledge that truth. Since then, I’ve lived more fully than ever before, and that has been a gift.”
Laura Dawson passed away knowing she was deeply loved and cared for.
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