Kelly
"I can't leave my baby. I can't. I can't do that to her."
These were the words racing through Nine News Perth presenter Kelly Haywood’s mind when doctors found a lump on her throat, fearing it was cancer.
The thought of leaving her daughter, Zara, and the memory of her father, who passed from brain cancer just shy of turning 50, weighed heavily on her heart.
Kelly noticed the lump while watching one of her news segments.
After multiple GP appointments, Kelly was referred to Charlies endocrinologist, Dr. David Leong, who suspected cancer might be present and opted to remove Kelly’s entire thyroid.
“Dr. Leong was concerned about repeated surgeries damaging my vocal cords, which would mean the end of my career as a presenter. I’m so grateful he took decisive action.”
Following her surgery, tests confirmed Kelly did indeed have cancer present in her thyroid. Thanks to Dr. Leong’s expertise, Kelly’s cancer was treated before it could spread.
“He’s the best doctor I’ve ever had. He truly cares.”
Kelly’s story is a testament to the progress medical research has made. Not so long ago, cancer was often considered a death sentence. Today, advances in medical research have made early detection and treatment more effective, sparing families from the pain of heartbreaking loss.
Thanks to the generosity of people like you, Charlies has a proud history of funding research. Dr Leong himself has received several grants for his promising work.
Dr Leong is investigating how to diagnose thyroid cancer – even earlier – by pinpointing malignant cells. The sooner cancer is spotted, the more successfully it can be treated.
Research is what made Kelly's treatment possible. Due to Dr Leong's training and advances in research, he was able to determine that cancer could be present and because it was caught so early, Kelly was able to make a full recovery.
