A mum-of-five has died from breast cancer after she was wrongly diagnosed for two years – with TENNIS ELBOW.
Jill Goodrum, 46, visited her GP in 2011 because she was struggling to lift her arms above shoulder height.
But her doctor told her she was suffering from tennis elbow – a condition which causes part of the elbow to become sore and tender.
Jill’s cancer symptoms went undiscovered until late 2013 when she discovered a “bone-like” lump near one of her breasts.
The grandmother-of-three Jill, from Plymouth, Devon, underwent tests and finally learnt she had aggressive and invasive breast cancer.
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Worse still, the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and her liver – and nothing could be done.
Brave Jill died on May 21 of septicaemia during chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
She spent her final months documenting her battle on Facebook in a bid to raise #10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and Plymouth-based Jeremiah’s Journey.
She fell short of her goal, collecting #6,400 – but donations to her JustGiving page have continued to flow after her death.
Jill’s eldest daughter Lyndsey Todd said: “In the week since Mum died #1,500 has been raised from people all over the world.
“She was posting the ugly truth about living with cancer and I have continued; it doesn’t end when the person has died.
“I’m so proud of her for everything. Everybody who knew her loved her. She was always the go-to person.
“She supported me during the birth of my children and was my birthing partner for all three of my births and she was amazing.
“Towards the end we were able to repay some of that support and we sang songs to her that she used to sing to us when we were young during her final hour.
“She just got on with things. Even when we they stopped the medication she fought for another 24 hours.”
Daughter Jemma Campbell, 20, said: “We were always a team and did everything together. It was me and her against the world.
“Everybody loved her. When I was at school all my friends would come over just to see her. Whenever anyone had a problem they would turn to her.”
After she received the devastating news that the cancer was terminal the family all spent Christmas Day 2013 on the beach – Jill’s favourite place.
Jill’s son James Todd said: “When I was a small kid in Plymouth – about five or six years old – I remember my mum feeding us when she didn’t always have food for herself.
“Her mission was to better our situation and she did it.”
Speaking before she died Jill said: ”Being diagnosed with cancer was horrendous.
“When I found out it was terminal I sat in the car park at the hospital for about an hour unable to let go of the wall I was holding onto.
“It’s just horrific. I’m 46 and I’m never going to get old and the fact that I have two small children is very hard to deal with too. I’m never going to see them grow up. My children are going to lose their mummy.
“My older children are obviously traumatised by my diagnosis, but they are very supportive.
“Nothing is the same for me now. My world has completely changed – I’ve lost me, my identity, my life as I knew it.”
Jill’s friends, family and supporters have vowed to keep her fundraising and awareness efforts going with several planned events set to go ahead this summer.
More information can be found by going to Facebook and searching for Jill’s Fundraising Journey.
Donations can also be made by visiting http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=jillsjourney&isTeam=true
