I lost my mother, Lee Yuet Chan, to HCC, link to blood trans

laupw

My mother passed away on 12th May, 2007.
She was only diagnosed with the HCC in Febuary. She was always very active, even right up to the diagnosis. She would always walk from her home to the shops, which where about 2 miles away, almost each day.

She started to complain about stomach pain just before Christmas ( December 2006). I took her to the doctor. I must admit, I was oblivious to the fact that such a disease could affect my mom. The reaction from the doctor's face gave me cause for concern.

So it came as a shock to me, a month later, that it was confirmed that she had HCC. She came from a family background where no one else in her immediate family had cancer. Her Brother, my uncle is 91.

The Consultant gave her only months to live. During the tests they also found she had Hepatitis C. We felt that this was the primary cause of the HCC.

It was only in March this year that my father confined in me that she had a blood transfusion in Sunderland, UK, in 1974, a period where there was no screening for the hepatits C virus and no name was given to it.

Looking at some of the articles on the web, its quite sad to see how it takes up to 30 years for the hepatitis C virus to cause cirrohisis to the liver, and then after 25 years, as a person becomes elderly, destroy anti cancer enzyme, leading to HCC.

At the time of her passing she was 74 years old. If it was not for the HCC, we are sure she would live to her late 70s / early 80s.

*** Has anyone else experience this - where the HCC was caused possibly by unscreen tainted blood transfusion in the early 70s. For me, it would place everythin into context ***

I was very close to my mother. My Father and I mourn for her each day. Its difficult to comprehend how one person that you love so much is with you, full of life, and the next minute taken away rom you.

brainman

I am so sorry, laupw, about the death of your mother. Your description of your mother sounds like she was a wonderful person.!!

Back in the 1970's, Hep C was not even on the radar screens much less in the pre-transfusion testing. Hep A and B had been discovered already but not Hep C. Back then it was rare to contract Hep C from a tainted transfusion (some sources list it as around 10% of the cases). Unfortunately, your mother was among that 10%. I say this not to discourage you but to make you aware that the odds of your locating others with the same problem are very small indeed.

Good luck and God bless you.
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Cisco's Daughter · Regular Joined: 12 Jul 2007 Posts: 19

My heart goes out to you, I'm so sorry for your pain. It know how big a shock it is to hear this bad news out of the blue. I only hope you can find solace in knowing that your mom isn't in pain anymore and is a better place than all of us.

Thank you for your kind words about my dad. He is in a lot of pain right now, all he does is sleep and is half-awake. No one should have to go through this. Sad

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