A CANCER patient who demanded a second opinion after seeing an episode of hospital drama Holby City was found to have an aggressive tumour. Saida Love, from Bridport, died in June aged 33 after a two-and-a-half year fight against the disease.
Now her husband Errol has embarked on a fundraising drive to fufil her dying wish to help the cancer unit which battled to save her.
Mr Love said his wife was initially told by doctors at the Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, that it was just fatty tissue and to go home.
But she insisted on a second opinion after seeing a woman tested on the TV show. Two months later she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.
Mr Love, who was married to Saida - also known as Souad - for seven years, said: "She was watching Holby City and said 'they've just done a breast cancer test with a needle'.
"She realised she had not had that and was worried the lump was getting bigger so we went back.
"Then she was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive tumour. If she hadn't seen Holby City she might have died within months."
Mr Love advised anyone who is worried about a diagnosis should always seek a second opinion.
He added: "It was a very difficult time for me to see my beautiful wife fight so hard for so long, then finally for her illness to overwhelm her.
"For two-and-a-half years Souad had to endure some very unpleasant treatment with terrible side effects in an attempt to save her life.
"But she always handled her illness in a very positive and dignified manner, her beautiful smile ever present despite her constant distress."
Mr Love said although they had to battle sometimes impossible odds staff at the Royal Marsden, London, where she was later treated, won his wife's complete trust and she always felt safe in their hands. There she endured massive doses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
"This gave Souad and I an extra two years together," said Mr Love.
"She really wanted to do something to help and we were going to do things like see how many people would give us a £1.
"She always wanted to help other people and was a very kind, loving and caring person."
It was one of her dying wishes that he carry on fundraising for the Royal Marsden's Make Our Day cancer campaign. The Royal Marsden is also a teaching hospital where many of the country's cancer specialists have trained. Mr Love said: "I am and will always be proud of my beautiful wife, how else could I possibly feel."
Street collectors, with distinctive blue and pink cans, will be in East Street, West Street, Bucky Doo Square and South Street, Bridport, tomorrow, Saturday, October 16.
Anyone who would like to make a donation in memory of Mrs Love, who worked as a carer and for a time volunteered at the Sue Ryder shop and ran a stall at the Bridport Saturday market, can also send cheques, made payable to the Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign, to the Bridport News.
* The couple complained to the hospital trust about her late diagnosis, but since her death, Mr Love has decided not to take it further at this point.
A spokesman for West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust said the trust could not comment on individual cases adding: "We were in contact with Mr Love at the time of his complaint. If he would like to discuss it further he is of course welcome to contact us."
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