‘I’m from Staffordshire and I’ve got the same cancer as Lorna Luxe’s husband - my symptoms were mistaken as anxiety, now I’m undergoing treatment in the US’

A woman, from Stafford, was diagnosed with adrenal cancer - the same as Lorna Luxe's husband - after her symptoms were mistaken for anxiety.

Madi Foster, 20, was "physically fit" but started to become easily breathless and had a lack of energy aged 17.

She was still playing for Stafford Rugby Club when her symptoms started in 2021.

Her mum, Nicola Foster, 51, took her to the GP but they were told Madi was suffering from anxiety and depression.

Madi symptoms persisted and she started to complain of back pain and began "sweating buckets". 

She was eventually blue-lighted to Stafford Hospital, Staffordshire, and they found her spleen was enlarged because of a 15cm tumour wrapped around it. 

A biopsy at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, confirmed it was adrenocortical carcinoma - a one-in-a-million cancer with odds of one-in-three million for people in Madi's age bracket.

Influencer Lorna Luxe announced her husband John Andrews died on Thursday following his long battle with stage four adrenal cancer.

Lorna, 43, confirmed John died aged 64 "at home in his own bed".

For Madi, she had the 2kg tumour removed but when her abdomen filled with fire litres of fluid following the operation she went into septic shock in November 2023 - and only just pulled through.

The family found out Madi's cancer had returned in February 2024 and was in her abdomen and liver.

She was told there was nothing more they could do and told she had 15 to 18 months to live.

But parents Nicola and Craig, 50, refused to give up hope and found doctors in Maryland, in the US, who would operate.

Strangers have donated £45,000 to fund Madi's travel and accommodation and underwent her first surgery last year.

Nicola, who works in medical sales, from Stafford, said: "Madi constantly defies the odds.

"They didn't presume a 20-year-old would have this diagnosis. It's one-in-three million for her age group.

"We noticed she'd get breathless and lacked energy. We took her to the GP. She was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. They wanted to put her on antidepressants."

Speaking of when Madi went into septic shock, Nicola said: "We were told it was highly likely she wasn't going to survive.

"She went into emergency surgery. She had to have heart restarted three times that night.

"She had multiple organ failure. She pulled though after two weeks and came home after four weeks."

Madi was unable to go through chemotherapy during that time and at a check up scan in February 2024 they found out the cancer had returned.

Nicola said: "They told me there was nothing else they could do. She was classed as stage four. She had 15 to 18 months to live."

Madi was eventually put on a chemotherapy drug to slow down the growth of her tumours but Nicola refused to give up and started researching other options.

She found out about the National Institutes of Health in Maryland - which is funded by the US government for its research - through a Facebook group.

Nicola said: "They wanted to do whatever they could to save Madi's life.

"They also discovered there was a tumour in her back."

Madi was flown out to America and had her first surgery to relieve pressure on her spine on August 19, 2024.

She then had an operation to remove half her liver and the tumours on August 27, 2024 - followed by radiation on her spine.

Nicola said: "She's got such a positive attitude. She's never cried. She's not let it upset her."

Nicola says the support on their fundraiser for Madi has been "phenomenal" and strangers and friends have donated more than £70,000 for her ongoing treatment.

Madi said: “It’s given us all hope again, when we thought there wasn’t any. 

"My plan is to get well through the treatment they’re offering at the NIH and go on to study medicine, particularly oncology, and help other people as I have been through cancer myself.”

To support Madi and find out more go to her gofundme page at: Help save Madi - ACC Warrior