Debra MacCuaig, 38, noticed she had a strange itch and was looking particularly tanned, but put this down to fake tanning more than usual for social plans before doctors discovered she had pancreatic cancer
(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
A mum who thought her bronzed complexion was due to fake tanning for nights out was shocked to discover it was actually a symptom of cancer. Debra MacCuaig developed an unusual itch that she initially dismissed as a reaction to washing detergent or moisturiser.
The 38-year-old teacher noticed she was looking particularly tanned, but attributed this to her increased use of fake tan for social events. However, when Debra’s eyes began turning yellow, she suspected jaundice – leading to jokes at work that she resembled a character from The Simpsons.
But medical professionals became worried when blood tests showed that Debra’s bilirubin levels were abnormally high, a sign of potential issues with the liver or bile ducts.
As her bilirubin levels continued to rise, doctors decided to perform a Whipple’s procedure, a major operation to remove the head of the pancreas, duodenum, gallbladder and a portion of the bile duct.
Debra was then informed that surgeons had discovered and removed a tumour at the head of her pancreas, and she would require six months of chemotherapy.
Fortunately, Debra made a full recovery after the cancer was removed on December 21st but was left ‘devastated’ when her mum Pam Grindall suddenly developed jaundice like she did.
Tragically, the 65-year-old passed away from pancreatic cancer in May 2023, nearly five years after Debra herself was diagnosed with the disease. Now, Debra is encouraging others to always ‘trust their gut’ when they develop new, concerning symptoms.
Debra, from Glasgow, Scotland, said: “Before this, life was very normal. Then in October 2018 I started to get an itch. I didn’t think much of it at first but then it got worse and worse.
“I would be properly scratching my arm. I thought maybe it could be a new washing detergent or moisturiser because I have quite sensitive skin. I wasn’t too concerned.
“Then one Saturday night I just felt so run down. I said to my husband ‘do my eyes look a bit yellow?’ and he said ‘yeah they do’. I had all the symptoms of jaundice – the itching and dark-coloured urine.
“I did look a bit tanned but you wouldn’t have noticed. At that time I had something on every weekend that month so was fake tanning a bit more. I just thought I was looking a bit tanned, I wasn’t that yellow at that point.
“At work we were having a laugh about it and they were calling me a Simpsons character. I was blissfully unaware.”
However, following ultrasounds, a CT scan and an MRI in November 2018, Debra learnt she had a blockage in her bile duct, which was triggering her jaundice. When her symptoms didn’t improve, she had an operation on December 11, 2018.
During the procedure, doctors found pancreatic cancer and removed the tumour located at the head of her pancreas. Following six months of chemotherapy, Debra was informed there was no further evidence of the disease.
Heartbreakingly, the illness affected her family once more when her mum was diagnosed with the same cancer four years later. Debra revealed: “Everything was textbook, it was so similar to me.
“She finished her chemo in January 2024 and was getting better and better, then in the September she went for the results of her latest scan and told her the cancer had come back in her spine and lungs.
“They told her they can’t cure it but they can treat it. We were devastated. I was seven months pregnant at the time. In March things declined pretty quickly and she passed away in May.
“You kind of feel this survivors’ guilt and you’re annoyed that we knew all the symptoms but were still in this situation. I was angry and couldn’t believe the same kind of cancer had struck our family.
“I would tell other people to always trust your gut, if you don’t feel right then get it checked out.”
