Pharmacist’s Quick Action Saves Nursery Teacher From Undiagnosed Blood Cancer

Natalie Forrest, a 40-year-old nursery teacher from South Lanarkshire, owes her life to the keen eye of a pharmacist who urged her to seek further medical tests for leukaemia after she initially sought antibiotics for a sore throat.

Natalie had been experiencing symptoms such as a sore throat, high temperature, and a urinary infection for a week when she visited her pharmacist to collect medication. However, the pharmacist, who had previously battled leukaemia herself, recognized the potential signs of the disease and insisted Natalie return to her GP for urgent testing.

Subsequent tests revealed abnormal blood cells, and just five days later, Natalie was admitted to the hospital, where a bone marrow biopsy confirmed her diagnosis of blood cancer.

Natalie’s brother, John, 38, expressed the family’s gratitude: “We will be eternally grateful to the pharmacist who helped save Natalie’s life”, according to the Daily Record. Natalie began an aggressive chemotherapy regimen just two weeks after her diagnosis, receiving treatment three times a week for ten consecutive days.

While her initial chemotherapy showed positive results, her journey has been fraught with complications. On November 1, Natalie collapsed twice and began passing and vomiting blood. Doctors discovered a blockage in her small bowel but deemed surgery too dangerous, opting instead to render her nil by mouth. Despite these challenges, her condition eventually stabilized.

However, just a week later, her health took a critical turn. Natalie suffered seven cardiac arrests over 28 hours and was placed on life support in intensive care. “We were told to prepare for the worst,” John said. “They gave her 48 hours to see if she could survive.”

Miraculously, Natalie began to recover. Her family brought her beloved dog, Nico, to the ICU, where she briefly opened her eyes. “The next day, she woke up and is now going from strength to strength. We hope she will be home for Christmas and we can resume her chemotherapy to fight this disease,” John shared.

The family is now facing financial difficulties, as Natalie is unable to work, and both John and their mother, Anne, 65, have taken unpaid leave to support her. A fundraiser has been launched to help cover their expenses, with any surplus funds to be donated to a cancer charity and Monklands Hospital. Despite the challenges, the family remains hopeful for Natalie’s continued recovery and return home.