AN EVESHAM woman who was paralysed following a rare complication of cancer has thanked the doctor who treated her at Worcestershire Royal Hospital after shocking experts by learning to walk again.
Sylvia Cameron, 79, was diagnosed with paraplegic lymphoma after cancer had affected her spine and left her bed bound and unable to move or care for herself.
Specialists at Worcestershire Royal Hospital found that non-Hodgkin lymphoma was causing tumours which were compressing her spinal nerve and led to paralysis of her legs and lower body.
Sylvia stood up with Dr Shafeek and physios. s
Consultant haematologist, Dr Salim Shafeek put Sylvia on a strong course of chemotherapy treatment to shrink the tumours on her spinal cord, but her medical team did not expect her to ever walk again.
“It is incredibly rare to walk again once you’re paraplegic – I have never seen it before in my career.
“She was completely unable to move for herself and we thought she would never walk again, so to now be standing up and walking around is remarkable,” Dr Shafeek said.
In October 2022 Sylvia came to A&E in severe pain and unable to stand after she ‘felt something snap’ in her back. After a series of tests, doctors diagnosed her with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Sylvia spent the next nine weeks in Worcestershire Royal Hospital completely unable to stand or move, whilst she received medication for the severe pain in her back and chemotherapy to treat the lymphoma which had caused her paralysis.
As she remained bed bound, the haematology team adapted to provide her chemotherapy treatment on the ward before she was eventually discharged to a care home where she began receiving basic physiotherapy.
She eventually got to come home in March 2023 and finished the course of chemotherapy soon after.
“In the summer of 2023 I finally got the all clear that my lymphoma was gone, but I could still barely stand with the help of a frame,” Sylvia said.
After months of working with physiotherapists who specialise in neurological rehabilitation Sylvia began to build her strength and increasingly move around with the help of a standing frame.
Returning to Worcestershire Royal Hospital for a follow-up appointment with Dr Shafeek recently, Sylvia amazed him by standing up and walking in the treatment room.
Dr Shafeek explained: “When Sylvia stood up and walked at our appointment it was a huge shock, but it was incredible to see.
“I have never seen this improvement before in three decades of my career. It’s a testament to her determination and motivation to get walking again.”
Sylvia said: “Dr Shafeek has been marvellous, he really is a special doctor. He rang me straight away after our follow-up and put me on such a high.
“All the staff have been brilliant actually. I do feel very lucky as I’ve lost friends and family members to cancer. I just take it day by day and enjoy it.
“I’ve got my grandchildren and my lovely family so I feel very lucky.”
