Coventry grandmother beats same rare cancer Steve Jobs had - The Coventry Observer

Coventry grandmother beats same rare cancer Steve Jobs had

Coventry Editorial 15th Nov, 2015 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

A GRANDMOTHER of 22 from Coventry has beaten the same type of rare cancer the late Steve Jobs had.

Linda Hands had neuroendocrine tumours, also known as NET, removed from her liver and bowels at Coventry’s University Hospital.

After first being diagnoses the 64-year-old had to have a heart valve replaced as the tumour cells had circulated around her body causing plaques to build-up.

Louise Davies, a NET specialist nurse, said there were around 3,000 cases of this kind of cancer every year in the UK and in Coventry they were seeing more than a 100 patients a year and this number was continuing to grow.




She added: “I am delighted with the progress Linda has made in the last year and her love for life is infectious.”

Linda, who is a former barmaid, said her symptoms first started to show when she began to lose weight which she put down to the stress of caring for her ill family members.


It was not until her GP referred her to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust for a scan where doctors found two tumours.

She had her heart surgery and in October 2014 had further tumours removed. She now has monthly injections to help to stop the tumours from growing back and to help with symptoms.

A neuroendocrine tumour is usually slow growing and can develop in areas such as small bowel, ovaries, testes and the pancreas.

The late Steve Jobs, who was the co-founder of Apple, had a NET in his pancreas which spread to his liver.

Linda said: “I have had brilliant care and I’m now able to enjoy life with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as jiving – I love rock and roll.

“People think you get world-class care in big hospitals in London or New York but I disagree, Coventry is an international centre of excellence for a reason and I am living proof of it.”

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