Young Englishwoman Lauren Carey (30) has had problems since childhood with a bladder that developed outside her body. Although she was able to get used to this condition, several years ago doctors discovered that she was suffering from an aggressive cancer. , The woman’s relatives say doctors have not adequately addressed her rare and rapidly spreading disease, so they are now urging others to keep looking for answers.
- Englishwoman Lauren Carey faced problems with her bladder since she was a child.
- 3 years ago she was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive bladder cancer.
- Doctors removed Lauren’s bladder, but the cancer has returned and is incurable.
Lauren from the English town of Banstead was born with a rare disease called bladder exstrophy. This birth defect caused her bladder to not be fully closed and part of it to protrude through the anterior abdominal wall. Finally, at the age of only eight, she had to undergo her first difficult operation, during which doctors inserted a catheter.
Although the Englishwoman gradually got used to life with a coil for urine drainage, in 2022 she learned shocking news. Doctors diagnosed her with squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder, a rare and aggressive form of cancer caused by prolonged use of the catheter. “It was like she had some kind of intolerance. Every time she ate a certain food, she felt sick. Doctors dismissed it at first, saying it was just irritable bowel syndrome,” said Lauren’s sister, Megan.
Surgeons removed Lauren’s bladder and replaced it with a stoma. They believed that this procedure would prevent the cancer from spreading further. However, at the end of October 2025, the family was informed that the cancer has returned and spread to the pelvis and abdomen, with no further treatment options. “It was terrible to hear. We were told from the beginning that if he came back there was nothing we could do,” said a devastated Megan.
The young woman’s family admitted they do not know how much time Lauren has left. Therefore, they try to create as many precious memories as possible with her. “She has always loved animals and is very keen to go to Port Lympne and live in cottages where animals can come right up to the window. She really wants to go there, so we’re trying to make it happen,” she revealed, adding that Lauren would also like to see the Irish singer Dermot Kennedy’s concert.
Megan started a collection on the GoFundMe page, so they can grant Lauren some of her wishes. In a recent post, she thanked people for their willingness as they managed to raise more than £1,500. “I was very surprised when the number started to rise. It’s very nice to see that people really care about her well being“, she noted. Furthermore, he urges others not to stop fighting if they feel something is wrong.
