Mother Urges Autoimmune Disorder Patients to Screen for Cancer

A mother of three is advocating for people with autoimmune disorders to get screened for cancer after initially misinterpreting her own serious health issues as a common cold.

Maeve Fanning, 38, from Birmingham, was unaware of her underlying cancer even after being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease a year prior. She began experiencing indigestion last October, which she attributed to dietary issues.

Despite feeling full and unable to eat, Ms. Fanning delayed contacting her GP until she returned from a family trip to Wales. Her doctor prescribed antacids, suggesting she would need a month to see improvement.

However, her symptoms escalated rather than improved. Then came a persistent cough, which she initially dismissed as a variant of the so-called “hundred-day cough” prevalent that winter.

It was only a few days before Christmas that breathlessness prompted her to consider the possibility of something more serious.

On December 20, scans revealed significant fluid in her lungs, raising concerns among doctors about blood cancer—a diagnosis that could be incurable.

Her hematologist informed her that a notable percentage of patients with thymoma, a rare cancer originating in the thymus gland, also suffer from autoimmune disorders.

Despite this, doctors were primarily focused on the potential blood cancer. Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Fanning shared, “When they saw the fluid in my lungs and mentioned immediate treatment, my heart sank.”

With two of her children celebrating birthdays in January, she rushed to prepare for the festivities, unaware that a stark reality was looming. On January 4, she received the grim news that she likely had blood cancer and would require hospitalization.

Explaining the impact on her family, she said, “It was devastating telling my kids I wouldn’t be there. They watched me leave, crying.” Ten days later, she was released from the hospital while waiting for test results to confirm whether it was blood cancer or thymoma.

When asking about her prognosis, she was told she had to be patient for the results, which she found incredibly distressing. Ultimately, the tests confirmed stage four thymoma that had spread to the lining of her lungs. This diagnosis rendered her situation incurable—one that might have been avoided had it been detected earlier.

Now, Ms. Fanning is focused on making the most of her time with her children—Oonagh, 9, Cormac, 5, and Ciaran, 2—despite being informed that palliative chemotherapy was her only option, potentially extending her life by just two years.

Experts still don’t fully understand what causes thymoma. This gland, located between the lungs, plays a vital role in regulating the immune system. Interestingly, those diagnosed with thymoma are often found to also have an autoimmune disease.

Ms. Fanning had been diagnosed with oral lichen planus a year before, a condition affecting the mouth that was never linked to her possible thymoma until it was too late.

She began chemotherapy on February 14, 2025, but after just one round, the high dosage proved too much for her, leaving her weighing just over six stone.

Despite this setback, she began receiving second-line chemotherapy every three weeks. In addition, she has turned to complementary treatments like hyperthermia and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, recommended by her nutritionist.

Ms. Fanning remarked, “These treatments change lives; they’ve helped others see their cancer regress.” She feels it’s still too early to tell, but she’s determined to do everything she can to witness her children grow up.

She reflected on her diagnosis, stating, “When I found out, my youngest was only 18 months old. I wasn’t sure if Christmas 2024 would be my last.” It’s an unimaginable situation, and she’s resolute about fighting for her family.

To help cover her treatment expenses—which require her to travel to London twice a week—Ms. Fanning and her supporters have established a GoFundMe page. So far, they’ve raised about £42,000, which she hopes will sustain her until Christmas. Monthly treatment costs are around £11,000, which she could never afford on her own.

Later this month, she is set to begin proton beam therapy at University College London Hospital, targeting rare cancers near vital organs with high-energy proton beams.