Did you think you were having a bad day? A 47-year-old woman reveals she lost her home to a fire, was in a motorcycle accident AND was diagnosed with CANCER – all within 24 hours
- Wendy Hansen of Mitchellville, Iowa, was running errands with her fiancé
- The 47-year-old was alerted to a fire at her home and sped back on her motorcycle
- She had an accident and was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with cancer
A woman has faced tragedy after losing her home, wrecking her motorcycle and being diagnosed with cancer within 24 hours.
Wendy Hansen of Mitchellville, Iowa, was running errands with 61-year-old fiancé Russ Farnsworth when events began on July 2.
The 47-year-old accountant told People that her “head was spinning” as she explained: “I lost my home, wrecked my motorcycle, which I absolutely adored, and I came to this lady who was standing in front of me and said, I would have cancer.”
She said the heartbreaking setbacks have been “overwhelming” but she remains determined to tackle the problems head-on.
Wendy Hansen of Mitchellville, Iowa, was running errands with 61-year-old fiancé Russ Farnsworth when events began on July 2
The couple were out on their motorcycles when Wendy received an urgent warning that her house was on fire and her 27 pets — three exotics, three dogs and 21 sugar gliders — were still trapped inside
The couple were out on their motorcycles when Wendy received an urgent warning that her house was on fire and her 27 pets — three exotics, three dogs and 21 sugar gliders — were still trapped inside.
They ran to get back and in their haste, Hansen, not wearing protective gear, crashed into a culvert in the street and was thrown from her Victory Magnum bike.
But with the adrenaline still rushing through her, she shook off the pain, hopped onto Russ’ motorcycle and continued the journey to her home.
She told the publication that while the house is surrounded by forest, you can still “smell the smoke and hear all the windows being smashed in by firefighters.”
Wendy saw her house go up in flames before she was rushed to the hospital, where doctors determined she had fractured her shoulder blade and collarbone, required six stitches in her left knee, and suffered numerous other bumps and bruises in the accident had.
Doctors decided to do a CT scan to make sure she wasn’t suffering from internal bleeding, but they found a mass in her kidney.
Renal cell carcinoma – a form of cancer – has been diagnosed and Wendy now has to have at least part of her kidney removed.
Depending on the results of a biopsy, she will also likely need radiation or chemotherapy.
Doctors determined that she had fractured her shoulder blade and collarbone, that her left knee required six stitches due to a deep laceration, and that she had suffered numerous other bumps and bruises from the accident
But doctors said the triple of events could have been a hidden blessing as the cancer is often not discovered until later stages, adding: “That motorcycle accident just saved your life.”
Regrettably, the couple lost everything they owned, including six of their pets, in the fire – which allegedly broke out under a deck where flames ignited a propane tank.
The duo, who have been together for 12 years, are currently living with Wendy’s son and are beginning to rebuild his home from the ground up.
A GoFundMe page was also set up to help cover medical bills and construction costs.
What is renal cell carcinoma?
In adults, renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer.
Kidney cancer usually has no signs or symptoms in its early stages, but it can develop over time.
Signs could include:
- Blood in your urine that may appear pink, red, or cola in color
- Pain in the back or side that doesn’t go away
- loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- fatigue
- Fever
Factors that can increase the risk of kidney cancer include age, smoking, obesity and high blood pressure, among others.
Source: Mayo Clinic