Fiancé’s fight to save beloved Nina diagnosed with cancer while pregnant with baby Teddy
Nina Langley, was devastated when doctors at A&E revealed her pregnancy pains were in fact bowel cancer that has spread to her liver.
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Hide AdThe 32-year-old was rushed for an emergency caesarean to deliver her new son Teddy six weeks early so she could start life-saving treatment.
Nina is set to start chemotherapy next week once her body has recovered from the caesarean.
Heartbroken fiancé, Ed Cusick, is desperate for Nina to see their baby grow up and has thrown himself into fundraising for specialist treatments not available on the NHS.
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Hide AdEd, 38, who lives with Nina and Teddy in Watermead, Aylesbury and also has close ties to Buckingham, teaching music to children there and regularly performing at the town’s rugby club, said: “Nina is my whole world and I’m completely devastated that she has been diagnosed with cancer.
“We were so excited about becoming parents but Nina’s shocking diagnosis has overshadowed our happiness. In the space of a few weeks everything has gone from being perfect to a nightmare.
“Nina wasn’t too concerned about her rib and shoulder pain throughout her pregnancy as we were reassured it was pregnancy related.
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Hide Ad“We only ended up in Stoke Mandeville A&E on February 8th because Nina’s pain became so unbearable that we started to worry that she might be going into early labour.
“The thought of meeting our new baby filled us with months of excitement but suddenly the experience turned into a living nightmare.
“I never expected it be to cancer, I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone.
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Hide Ad“But I need to stay strong for Nina and I decided to put a status on Facebook as a cry for help and will dedicate my life to save her, we need help with research and fundraising for a treatment which works faster alongside the chemotherapy.”
Nina, who is a graphic designer, needed to have an emergency caesarean on February 17 after a liver biopsy confirmed she had primary bowel cancer that had spread to her liver.
The couple were distraught but Nina vowed to stay strong from her little boy, Teddy, who was born six weeks early, weighing 5lbs 13oz.
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Hide AdEd said: “At first doctors thought Nina had an infection in her liver but the more tests she had the more it pointed towards it being cancer.
“It was a moment of complete dread and fear when we first heard the word cancer.
“Nina was a lot braver than me at first, I just can’t imagine losing her as she’s my whole life along with Teddy.”
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Hide AdNina was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma liver cancer and primary cancer in her upper bowel.
She is due to start chemotherapy next week after a lengthy wait for her body to heal from the emergency caesarean.
Ed said: “Waiting has been the hardest part, Nina has been in excruciating pain with her ribs caused by her liver cancer.
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Hide Ad“But thankfully we can start chemotherapy next week which even though we are scared about should hopefully help shrink her tumours. We haven’t asked about what the future holds for Nina, we just need to stay positive as possible. It’s a petrifying worry for Nina that she won’t see our Teddy grow up but with the help of specialist treatments and those provided on the NHS we aim to throw everything we’ve got at this cancer so we can stay together as a family.
“Nina was wrongly diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome only a year ago but because she was so young no further tests were carried out.
“I hope other people read Nina’s story and seek a second opinion if they feel they have worrying symptoms.”
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Hide AdThe couple were allowed home on February 22, two weeks after first going to A&E with possible labour pains, Teddy finally came home three days ago.
Ed, who lives with Nina and Teddy on Watermead in Aylesbury, said: “Teddy coming home has really lifted Nina’s spirits, I haven’t hardly slept since he has been home but it’s amazing that we are finally all together.
“We are supposed to be excited new parents but this joy has been masked by the fear of Nina’s diagnosis.
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Hide Ad“Nina watched her dad die from brain cancer in October and having Teddy this year the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s just so cruel and unfair that Nina has been diagnosed with cancer as she is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
“I proposed to her five months ago, she is my soul mate, I just can’t believe this has happened to us.”
But despite their devastation supportive friends and family have rallied round the couple, pledging thousands of pounds towards specialist treatment and organising a fundraising events for Nina’s cancer fight.
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Hide AdEd said: “The support we have received has been fantastic, every little helps and I want Nina to receive the best possible treatment available so if we need to go half way across the world to get it we will.”
“One of the specialist treatments we are considering is called Nano Knife which targets tumours faster alongside her chemotherapy, we just need to hit her cancer with everything possible.
“Losing Nina is not an option, I would devote to my whole life to ensure she beat this.”
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Hide AdTo help Nina, Ed and Teddy in their fight against the cancer visit www.causewish.com/project/help-ninas-fight-to-cancerAeglesburgh Watermead Inn is hosting a fundraising event to raise money for Nina on Saturday.
Doors open at 6pm, they’ll be live music throughout the night with Foo Fighters tribute act Pretender followed by a set from Ed. Tickets are £10 each and all proceeds go to Nina’s fund.