Thymoma: Hockey player who blamed sudden weight loss on food poisoning told she has rare stage four cancer

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They were in the same place for 54 years, so it’s strange to think about that.” open image in gallery Karen after shaving her head in 2015 She added: “For us, life still isn’t back to completely normal, but we hope later in the year we’ll be able to have a little break.” Karen first noticed something was wrong in March 2015, as her weight dropped dramatically over two weeks from 10st 3.4lb to 8st 5lb, leading to her initial assumption that she had food poisoning. “I just hoped that the doctors would come back telling me it was something that wasn’t too serious.” open image in gallery Karen and Heidrun when they first met But in April, following a scan of her liver, doctors spotted a shadow just under her left lung and further scans revealed she had stage 4 thymoma, which had metastasized and spread from her thymus to her left lung and chest. “It helped to slow the growth of the cancer, but it didn’t stop it.” Determined to find some light in an otherwise dark year, Karen and Heidrun, who met in 2011 in Rotterdam, Holland, at an LGBT sporting tournament where they were competing, got married in September 2018 at their local register office in front of her brother, chef Hugh Ruddock, 57, sister, teaching assistant June Ruddock, 59, and sister-in-law, accountant Michelle Ruddock, 52. open image in gallery Karen playing at The London Royals Pink Hockey Tournament 2014 She said: “It was a beautiful day. “That feeling when you’re first diagnosed and having so little information, it can be devastating.” open image in gallery Karen skiing She added: “I just want to give patients a voice.