‘Couldn’t believe it’: Mum-of-two’s shortness of breath leads to terminal diagnosis

An SA hairdresser found herself stopping to catch her breath through haircuts — she could never have imagined a few weeks later, she’d receive a life-altering diagnosis.

Ryan and Christine Boyle with son Eli, 13 and daughter Meeka, 15, at their home in Noarlunga Downs. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

When mum-of-two Christine Boyle found herself having to stop to breathe while working as a hairdresser she thought maybe she was struggling to get back in the swing of things after a relaxing holiday.

But when she continued struggling, even while simply talking, she knew she had to visit her GP.

“He got me to go for a walk out of the office and then walk back in … and by the time I got back in, I was puffing,” the 39-year-old told The Advertiser.

“He checked my oxygen levels then and they were really low.

“I thought maybe I needed an inhaler.”

On September 3, the same day she saw the GP, Christine had a chest X-ray which revealed a large mass in her right lung and multiple spots on her chests, which doctors at the time believed were blood clots.

Christine was told to head straight to Flinders Hospital.

“It was surreal … couldn’t really believe it,” the Noarlunga Downs mum said.

Christine Boyle, who was diagnosed with stage four cancer, with her husband Ryan and children, Meeka and Eli. Picture: Supplied

Originally doctors believed there were blood clots in Christine’s lungs. Picture: Supplied

After days in hospital, Christine was eventually sent home on blood thinners, until another routine PET scan showed that there weren’t blood clots in her lungs — Christine had a cancerous, seven centimetre tumour in her pulmonary artery that had metastasised throughout her lungs.

Doctors performed a biopsy on the cancer in her lungs which revealed it was sarcoma.

The tumour that was removed from Christine Boyle's pulmonary artery. Picture: Supplied

Heartbreakingly on her daughter Meeka’s 15th birthday, September 25, Christine’s doctors told her that her cancer would eventually kill her.

“They said it was stage four metastatic cancer and I needed to meet with the surgeons the next day and needed to get my affairs in order because it was not a very good prognosis,” she said.

“The surgeons feared that if we didn’t remove it (the primary tumour) within the next week, I could die.”

A few days later, after having some time with her family, Christine underwent open heart surgery to remove the tumour in her pulmonary artery.

“They got everything they thought they could see but with the type of cancer it is, they said they can never know if they got it all,” Christine said.

Doctors told Christine she would need to get her affairs in order. Picture: Supplied

Doctors told Christine her condition was terminal on her daughter Meeka’s 15th birthday. Picture: Supplied

While doctors have removed the primary tumour, the cancer also spread to her lungs.

In order to extend Christine’s life she’s been forced to have treatment, however due to the wounds from undergoing open heart surgery, she is unable to have chemotherapy straight away.

Instead Christine must pay out-of-pocket for immunotherapy — which according to the mum-of-two will cost her up to $65,000.

“If I didn’t do that, there was no other option,” she said.

Christine and her family must pay out-of-pocket for her cancer treatment. Picture: Supplied

Christine could potentially wait to have chemotherapy, but doctors say there is no knowing how much the cancer in her lungs could grow in the meantime.

At this stage, Christine is undergoing immunotherapy and paying out-of-pocket to ensure she can spend as much time as possible with her beautiful family.

If you’d like to donate to Christine, you can here.

Originally published as ‘Couldn’t believe it’: Mum-of-two’s shortness of breath leads to terminal diagnosis