Yeah for YouTube

I had a real heart warming feeling when I read that a compelling YouTube video saved a brave ladies life, and I felt I ought to share. Ruth McDonagh, a single mum from Enfield was receiving treatment for bowel cancer and had a tumour wrapped around her scarum (a large bone at the base of your spine that houses vital blood supplies and nerves essential for lower body feeling and mobility).

The problem was that no-one was willing to remove the tumour because the surgery was considered to be too risky. This was essentially a death sentence for poor Ruth.

The surgery itself requires 6 specialists, including a plastic surgeon to close the enormous wound and is considered to be the “car crash” of bowel surgeries because of the risk of paralysis and death.

Understandably Ruth didn’t want to die and leave her son alone in the world. In a chemo weakened state she made an emotional plea begging anyone in the colorectal surgical field to help her. Fortunately her prayers were answered by someone who’d seen her video and a team of highly skilled surgeons went to work.

She is now on the long road to recovery after a successful surgical outcome, and she awaits another round of chemo when she’s strong enough.