'My wife thought she had perimenopause symptoms - she died on Sunday'

A mum said how facing the fact she was going to die from bowel cancer allowed her to "live more fully" with her final weeks including "some of the happiest days" of her life. Laura Dawson, 44, experienced bloating and fatigue for months before being diagnosed with stage three cancer in March last year. Initially believing her symptoms for perimenopause, Laura's condition took a drastic turn one evening when severe stomach pain left her "could not move", leading to an urgent dash to A&E. The mother of two had emergency surgery to remove a blockage in her bowel; although successful, a subsequent biopsy confirmed her cancer. Laura's husband Ben, 49, recalled the initial optimism following six months of chemotherapy, with scans looking "promising". He recounted: "We got one clear scan in August and it all seemed promising. But then in September we got the news that it was back and it had spread. That was absolutely gut-wrenching." After trying different chemotherapy options, Laura chose to stop treatment two months ago, as it worsened her health, opting instead to cherish her remaining time with loved ones, reports the Mirror. Laura received incredible support from St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham, south east London, which enabled her to spend as much time at home as possible, surrounded by her family in a "comfortable and dignified way". After two weeks at home, she was transferred to the hospice for care and sadly passed away there on Sunday, June 29. Laura Dawson with her husband Ben and their two sons, Jacob and Theo, during her treatment (Image: Ben Dawson/SWNS) Ben recounted her passing as "peaceful" and shared that he was with her when she died. He expressed his gratitude, saying: "The care Laura received at home from the carers from St Christopher's allowed her to have her final two weeks at home in a comfortable and dignified way. Then, during the nearly three weeks she stayed at the hospice, she was so well looked after - and everyone there was so compassionate and so caring - that it made Laura's last few days so good for her. We're eternally grateful that such a positive experience could come from such a negative situation." In earlier conversations about facing death, Laura spoke of how her final days were some of her "happiest". She reflected: "Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks. As a society, we shy away from the process of dying. "By doing that, we reinforce negative ideas around death. People think death is always going to be painful and traumatic, but it doesn't have to be. "Deep down we all know we are going to die. Cancer has forced me to acknowledge it. Since then I've lived more fully than I've ever done and that has been a gift." Ben shared that he and Laura cherished the time they had together, seeing it as a gift despite yearning for more. He expressed: "Laura could have died on that operating table back in March. Life can be cut short unexpectedly and suddenly. "But knowing Laura was going to die meant everyone had the chance to say what they needed to say to her. When it comes to the funeral, I won't have to stand up there and say all those things I wished I had said to her. "Because I told her and so did the kids. Obviously, I'd prefer to keep her - and have her for the rest of my life. Laura Dawson with her husband Ben and their two sons, Jacob and Theo (Image: Ben Dawson/SWNS) "But she died knowing she is loved and that we will miss her endlessly. That is a blessing." Throughout the ordeal, Ben shared that he and Laura were always transparent with their sons Jacob, 17, and Theo, 15. Ben said: "We've spoken very openly about it all the way through. We've always told them what the possible outcomes are - because we want to prepare them for what might happen and we want them to be able to trust what we're saying. That's definitely helped us throughout." He also lauded the exceptional care Laura received from both the NHS and St Christopher''s, stating it made the experience more bearable. "From the moment she was admitted into Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, all the care Laura received was incredible," Ben recounted. "We really are so thankful." Ben disclosed that Laura's wish was for her story to help others deal with dying and death. He shared: "The way she's approached this has been incredible. I don't think there's been a day in this process where Laura truly let this get to her. This is unfair. She's had her life cut short by 40 or 50 years. But she was seeing the beauty in the small things - taking joy in what she could do. "They say people are glass half empty or glass half full. Laura was always happy enough just to have a glass. She wanted to share that with people." In her final days, Laura focused on creating enduring memories for her loved ones. She wrote touching letters, prepared keepsakes, and bought significant watches for her sons. "She bought me one when we got engaged and now the boys have one too," Ben explained. "That way, on special occasions, like their weddings, they can look at it and know she's with them and thought about that day." Ben reminisced about his journey with Laura, saying: "We met 24 years ago. They talk about love at first sight - and it was that. "She's been my constant companion ever since. Laura was generous to a fault - and the kind of person who is friends with someone after a minute of chatting to them. She was just a really, really nice person." To support St Christopher's Hospice, donations can be made here: https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate. For those wishing to contribute to Cancer Research, please visit: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/. And for donations to Guy's and St Thomas' Charity, please go to: https://donate.gsttcharity.org.uk/. 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