This time last year, Tim Davis had never heard of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare and incurable type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs.
That was until he received the terrible news in March that his wife Jane had been diagnosed with the disease and had about 18 months to live.
Jane, an “incredibly fit and healthy” 66-year-old who regularly takes care of her health and has never smoked, was told she was “abnormal”.
Nevertheless, the couple was perplexed as to what type of lung cancer she could develop, let alone one that was this aggressive.
It was later determined that mesothelioma was primarily caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was used in building construction until the 1990s.
Once again, Jane and Tim were left with more questions than answers. Where was she unknowingly exposed to asbestos? Why wasn’t she warned about it? And were others at risk?
“We moved to Stamford, Lincolnshire in November 2022 to make it our forever home and we couldn’t be happier,” Tim told MailOnline.
“Then in early 2024, my wife of 37 years, Jane, developed a dry cough and was feeling tired.
Jane Davis was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare and incurable cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, earlier this year.
Jane (pictured) was given around 18 months to live. The news came as a shock to her and her husband Tim, who said she was 66 years old and “incredibly fit and healthy.”
Photo of Jane and Tim, who were diagnosed in May this year.
“Jane said that her heart sometimes skipped a beat, so I managed to get her to see a cardiologist and arranged for Jane to have an EKG, blood tests and x-rays. ”
“As soon as the radiologist saw Jane’s X-rays, she was taken straight to the Accident and Emergency Center. Three hours later, Jane was told that she probably had lung cancer.
“We were numb. We didn’t cry. We were in shock. We drew solace that lung cancer was treatable.
“We thought Jane might have been misdiagnosed. She was healthy, young, exercised regularly and had never smoked.
“The NHS acted very quickly and arranged follow-up tests and biopsies. A few days later we received the terrible news that Jane had completely incurable mesothelioma and had about 18 months to live. was communicated to us.
“We were told that Jane was an anomaly, which was interesting but not very comfortable.
“Jane was relatively young, healthy and at the perfect weight. Her mesothelioma was discovered at stage 1, so it had not spread to other parts of her body.”
According to Cancer Research UK, mesothelioma kills around 2,400 people each year.
Jane (pictured) keeps fit by regularly rowing and cycling and has never smoked in her life
Jane refused to give in to cancer and didn’t let it stop her from spending time with her family. Jane and Tim photographed at their son’s wedding in May
Most cases are diagnosed among people over the age of 75, and men are more commonly affected than women.
Symptoms of the disease accumulate over time and usually appear decades after exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely used as an inexpensive insulation material in the construction of most new buildings from the 1950s to the 1990s.
Inhaling its microscopic fibers can cause lung cancer (including mesothelioma) as well as asbestosis, an unbearable inflammation and scarring of the lungs.
The use of brown asbestos was banned in the UK in 1985, followed by the less dangerous white asbestos 14 years later. However, there is already no coordinated national effort to remove asbestos in the field.
There is currently no cure for mesothelioma and around 2 in 100 patients in the UK are expected to survive 10 years after diagnosis.
Despite this fact, Jane refused to succumb to the disease and did not let it stop her from spending time with her family, attending her son Harry’s wedding soon after being diagnosed in May.
“She didn’t change her routine, so every month I bought her a T-shirt with a motivational slogan on it,” Tim said.
“She was incredibly stoic and said, ‘Even though I have this horrible disease, I’m staying as strong and positive and continuing to live as I can.’
“But this is scary for me and for my children, because she could one day die such a horrible death.
“We have been together for 38 years, almost 40 years through highs and lows. There have been many ups and downs in our lives.
“I’m 66 now and when I go to bed I wake up in the middle of the night screaming my eyes out. It’s so unfair Jane has this
“She doesn’t deserve it. We don’t know where she got it from, and there’s nothing we can do about it, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it that might be able to prolong it.” there is no.”
Jane and her family were dealt another terrible blow when her 93-year-old mother was admitted to hospital shortly after Prince Harry’s funeral and died the next day.
In another cruel twist, Jane suddenly develops a lung infection and is forced to attend an emergency hospital appointment on the afternoon of her mother’s funeral.
Jane and Tim pictured at their son Harry’s wedding in May this year.
Jane took photos at her son’s wedding in May. Shortly after the event, Jane’s 93-year-old mother was hospitalized and died the next day.
She was able to watch the ceremony remotely via video link before attending her appointment. Jane was hospitalized that night because her infection was severe.
“I didn’t realize how sick Jane was.”. I was concerned that Jane might develop sepsis, and I said, “We’ll do everything we can, but there’s no guarantee she’ll recover.”
Fortunately, Jane was discharged from hospital after 11 days and underwent outpatient treatment, but last month she was told that her cancer had begun to progress and urgent treatment was needed.
Jane grew up in Macclesfield and attended school there before moving to Surrey to study at West Surrey College of Art and Design.
After achieving a first class in her art degree, she took a job as a secretary at Lloyds Bank, where she worked for 10 years before becoming a housewife and mother.
Ever since Jane was diagnosed with asbestos earlier this year, the question of where Jane was exposed to asbestos has plagued Tim’s mind.
But so far, for lack of trying, Tim has not been able to get a definitive answer.
He continued: “The thorny question for us was where Jane might have been unknowingly exposed to asbestos, and who else might be in Jane’s position.”
“These people have long thought their bothersome coughs and fatigue were due to coronavirus, house dust, asthma or allergies, only to realize it was something much worse. You might think.
“There may be a new, younger generation of mesothelioma patients who were exposed to asbestos simply by being employees.”
Mr Tim said it was “very concerning” that there was no national mesothelioma patient database detailing when and where people worked and at what age they were diagnosed. .
He believes such a system would make it much easier for victims of the disease and their families to identify workplaces at high risk of asbestos exposure.
For example, if several people work in a building and are subsequently diagnosed with mesothelioma, this indicates a high risk.
Work may then be carried out to remove the asbestos and prevent further exposure to deadly asbestos fibers.
Jane (pictured) was told last month that her cancer had started to progress and she needed urgent treatment.
Every month, Tim buys a T-shirt with a motivational slogan printed on it. Jane is seen here wearing clothes with the slogan ‘Looking Like a Survivor’ written on them
Tim wants to find out more about the prevalence of mesothelioma patients across the UK, as many people are unaware of the severity of mesothelioma and its causes.
Although mesothelioma remains an incurable disease, there are positive developments in research into life-sustaining treatments for mesothelioma.
Earlier this year, scientists praised a new drug that had “quadrupled” the three-year survival rate for mesothelioma, extending average survival by 1.6 months.
Several studies have looked at treatments for mesothelioma and ways to improve it. Jane will soon take part in a clinical trial at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge later this year.
Tim said she was determined to fight the disease head-on, but neither of them knew what lay ahead.
“Although Jane gets tired easily, she continues to stay positive despite her condition,” Tim said.
“I still buy T-shirts every month and customize them with what I think are motivational slogans.
“We both know today is our best day yet as we see Jane’s condition worsening with each passing day.
“For us, the future is dark, but clear and known. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, only darkness.
“What we don’t know is the length of the tunnel. What remains unknown is the timeline.”
