Sussex woman who had eight organs removed following rare cancer diagnosis returns to work

  • ITV Meridian's Megan Samrai met Faye Louise at Gatwick Airport, where she works as a flight dispatcher

A woman from Sussex who had eight organs removed during treatment for a rare cancer has returned to her career in aviation.

Faye Louise, 40, began planning her own funeral after she was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) in 2023.

She was experiencing pains and bloating and during an operation to remove an ovarian cyst, surgeons found a large tumour on her appendix.

Faye from Horsham had an 11 hour operation to remove eight of her organs in November 2023 and is now cancer free.

She has been able to return to her job as a flight dispatcher at Gatwick Airport, preparing planes for takeoff and landing.

Faye Louise underwent an 11 hour operation to remove eight of her organs. Credit: Faye Louise

She said: "I had to undergo what is known as the 'mother of all surgeries'".

"I had to lose my spleen, my gallbladder, my appendix.

"I had to have a full hysterectomy, so I had to lose my ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, womb.

"They took part of my liver, part of my small bowel, rejoined my colon, scraped my pelvis one side to the other, scraped my diaphragm, and then blasted me with the heated chemotherapy into my tummy."

Now rebuilding her life, Faye says it’s been a tough road, but the love of her job and aviation has helped her to keep moving forward.

Flight dispatcher Faye Louise says aviation is her passion. Credit: ITV Meridian

"This time last year I wasn't even able to walk.

"So to be standing here now and being back in the environment I love, doing the job that I love, it's something that I never thought that I'd be able to do again physically.

"I had no core strength so I had to rebuild all my muscle in my tummy area. It feels amazing to be back in my home."

Faye shared that she lost her mum to cancer.

She said: "I've got the mentality of: 'I'm not going to let this one beat me. It took my mum, it's not taking me.'

"I think determination and positivity is what is going to get people through this if they're ever facing the same as me in future."

Going forward, Faye says she will have to have annual scans for up to 20 years.

Her advice to others is: "If you think something is wrong, don't ignore it."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know