A university scientist said it was a “great feeling” to be awarded funding to research a form of blood cancer that her mother has been diagnosed with.
Dr Lucy Goudswaard had been researching cardiovascular disease at the University of Bristol, but when her mum Joy Goudswaard was told she had incurable myeloma in 2021, she was inspired to alter the subject of her work.
Lucy decided to apply for a fellowship, focusing her work on understanding and preventing myeloma, which affects bones and other parts of the body.
“It is wonderful to be able to work at a job that is so meaningful,” she said.
“Doing this research is the silver lining and a positive in what is an unpleasant situation,” she added.
Joy Goudswaard, who lives near Stroud in Gloucestershire, had previously been fit and active, but persistent pain led to an X-ray which revealed holes in a number of her bones, including her spine, pelvis and hip.
She said: “I really couldn’t understand it, especially as there was no cancer in my family. I’ve got three siblings, and not that I want them to have it, obviously, but why have I got it?”
Joy described the first 12 months of treatment as a “year of hell”. Lucy said it was “really difficult” to see how ill her mother had become.
