Charity target for Durham mum diagnosed with cancer while pregnant

But at 33 weeks pregnant, she was faced with a terrifying cancer diagnosis.

Mrs Reid, then aged 32, had noticed a lump on her collar bone and immediately went to see her GP who didn’t like what he saw.

She went for a series of tests and was told she had Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer which, despite being a treatable, was stage 4.

Whilst still having tests and waiting for results she delivered her son, Arthur.

She said: "In my darker moments I thought I was never going to get the opportunity to see my family grow up but I was consistently told that my type of cancer was very treatable, so I focused on that.”

After treatment across Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust including the RVI, where Arthur was born, The Freeman Hospital where Ruth received radiotherapy as well as County Durham and Darlington Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, at the Mara Ward in Bishop Auckland Hospital for chemotherapy, she has responded well.

Although officially not out of the woods, Mrs Reid is in remission with a bright future ahead.

Ruth and Rick Reid with George and Arthur

She and her family are now focused on supporting both Macmillan and the Mara Ward and have already raised more than £6,500 towards a £10,000 target.

They will host a tea, cake and raffle fundraiser at Satley Village Hall, County Durham, on Saturday, from 10.30am until 12 noon.

To contribute towards the funds, Mrs Reid will raffle a number of signed Newcastle United football shirts, which were provided by a friend who lives near her in Satley and works for the club.

They include one signed by Alan Shearer and one signed by the current NUFC squad. Tickets for the raffle will be on sale at Saturday's event and drawn on October 24.

Ruth Reid with George and Arthur

She said: “I’ve never been materialistic and after this experience even less so.

"Life is about living, and making memories with your family.

"I’m raising money for Macmillan and the Mara Ward as my way of saying thank you for giving me the opportunity to make memories with my family and friends.

“I promised myself when I was sat having treatment that once I was up I was going to raise £10,000 for Macmillan and the Mara Ward.

"Macmillan has been key to my recovery in terms of amazing support and advice and Mara Ward made a big impression given the fact that they were treating not only Bishop Auckland patients, but other vulnerable patients from Darlington Memorial hospital as there was a Covid-19 centre there, making it too high risk. And despite that the treatment at Mara was fantastic.

“Patients weren’t able to have family or friends so the incredible nurses from the Mara Ward, were a huge support to me personally and emotionally.

“I’ve made some lifelong friends and lost some of them, who I will never forget. But there are wonderful stories of survival too. A man I met and became friends with was given only an 8 per cent chance of recovery from pancreatic cancer.

"His attitude was if they keep me alive long enough maybe they’ll come up with a new treatment. I saw him very recently and he’s now in remission, thanks to 12 rounds of chemotherapy and a massive nine-hour operation to remove the tumour at The Freeman Hospital - what an inspiration.”

Mrs Reid is a part time art technician at Durham Johnson School.

Samuel White with dad John on the coast to coast bike ride

Pupil Samuel White, 12, was inspired to cycle the coast-to-coast with his dad John last summer.

Samuel, whose grandmother had been treated at the Mara Ward, raised £1,255 for Mrs Reid's cash crusade.

She said: “Samuel’s grandma had treatment at the Mara Ward and received considerable help from Macmillan so that and the fact I worked at his school inspired him to donate the £1,255 he raised to my fundraiser total – I was really touched by Samuel’s determination to raise money for our chosen charities!

“We’ve also received support from True Potential whose staff have raised £1,119 and the company has committed to matching that figure which is fantastic.”

Mrs Reid has more fundraising plans for the rest of the year.

She said: “All through my cancer journey I’ve had great support and advice from Macmillan. My Macmillan nurse, Nicky, was always there to answer any questions, to me help with medication and to calm me of my worries or if I just needed some reassurance.

"Those things helped me so much, especially during the height of the pandemic, so just being to contact her about those things, made a massive difference to me. Even after treatment I know I can contact her at any time.

"One of the reasons for raising money for Macmillan is a way of saying a big thank you to Nicky and the whole team and to also help others currently going through cancer treatments.”

After her own cancer experience Ruth is positive about the future and looking forward to witnessing her family’s key milestones in the months and years ahead.

“My chemotherapy meant many cycles of treatment repeated. It was incredibly intense and to cope I viewed it like the dial of a clock with a hand ticking off another treatment and on to the next.”

For information or support contact Macmillan on 0808-8080000 or visit Macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support and to help the charity email fundraising@macmillan.org.uk or call 0300-1000200.