UK woman thought she had food poisoning, later lost 13 organs to rare disease that affects just one in million people

A woman in the United Kingdom fell sick after attending a Christmas party at her office in late 2018. Rebecca Hind, 39, initially thought the culprit was food poisoning but her symptoms stayed for several weeks. She went to the doctor and after undergoing various tests, she was diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), a rare form of cancer that affects just one in a million people. She later had to get over a dozen of her internal organs surgically removed as part of the treatment.

8 rounds of chemo
Unfortunately, by the time doctors diagnosed the cancer, it had spread extensively through Rebecca's abdominal cavity, requiring immediate treatment. In early 2019, Rebecca underwent a major surgery to remove her appendix and part of her abdominal lining. This was followed by as many as eight rounds of chemotherapy.

'A rollercoaster life'
In another surgery later the same year, many of her internal organs were removed, including her spleen, gallbladder, womb, ovaries, bowel, rectum, cervix, fallopian tubes, both sides of her diaphragm, and parts of her stomach and liver. She now lives with a stoma (an artificial opening) and has to take dozens of tablets daily along with electrolyte fluids.
However, despite a plethora of medical challenges, Rebecca is striving to live her life to the fullest. "My daily life is a rollercoaster. But with the right attitude, you can still achieve a lot," she told the media in Britain. She revealed she has already performed a number of adventure sports, including surfing, hot-air ballooning, and dog sledding.

Becoming an inspiration
Rebecca now plans to participate in the Tour de 4 cycling event later this year, aiming to complete the full 90-kilometer run, as part of her efforts to spread awareness about life with cancer. She has also launched an online campaign on GoFundMe to raise money for a patient-run charity supporting those diagnosed with PMP. Her campaign has so far raised USD 1,800.
Rebecca, who has run out of treatment options, hopes to use the remainder of her life to inspire others and advocate support for people living with incurable health conditions.