Papillon
Tackling cancer directly

Annual Patient Support Meeting 30th October 2024
[click here for info]

My name is Jasmine Kaur, and I was 43 when diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I was told by the nurse who did the colonoscopy that the tumour in the rectum area is cancerous and I will be called in for a further CT scan and MRI in two weeks, following which the MDT (Multidisciplinary Team) will decide about further action. All this took roughly about a month and the consultant at the Hillingdon Hospital simply told me they will remove the rectum and I will have to live with a colostomy bag for the rest of my life. No options given. My entire world collapsed in front of my eyes as this is something I had not even thought about or could not see myself living with a colostomy bag. I then found out about Professor Sun Myint who is a pioneer in the field of Papillion Contact X-ray Brachytherapy.
I met Prof Myint on 17 September 2019, and my sister and I cried tears of hope and joy as he assured me that a colostomy bag was not the only option. He very clearly explained the risks involved and all the alternatives I could take. I did undergo the Papillion treatment and several rounds of chemo and radio therapy. It was not easy and was in fact the toughest thing I have ever faced in my life. However, now that I look back I realise my life would have been so different if I had not explored this option that I was not even given by the NHS (Hillingdon Hospital). I am not sure if I have completely beaten the cancer yet as its still a case of "wait and watch", however I am truly thankful to Prof. Myint for having given me options and explaining the risks with each option I had so I could make an informed decision. I would strongly recommend this to anyone in my situation who is simply told by the NHS that living with a colostomy bag is the only way out of this. Trust me the route is hard but you will have a quality of life that you wouldn’t have otherwise. And for professor Myint I can only say “Professor thank you for saving my life, my parents gave me life but you saved my spirit from dying. I owe you my life sir”.