Gail Redpath had a 10cm tumour the size of a golf ball in her womb
Husna Anjum and Fionnuala Boyle
08:29, 16 Jan 2026
Gail Redpath thought rare cancer was menopause before docs found golf-ball sized tumour(Image: Supplied/Daily Record)
A mum who thought she had menopause was shocked to discover it was actually cancer, and she had mere months to live.
Gail Redpath from Edinburgh was experiencing irregular bleeding and believed it was menopause, according to Daily Record.
After discovering a lump down below in May 2024, her GP referred her to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where a consultant diagnosed her with a Bartholin’s cyst – a painful benign lump.
She underwent surgery to remove the cyst but medics found a 10cm tumour the size of a golf ball in her womb.
She was diagnosed with stage 4 Leiomyosarcoma – a rare and aggressive cancer found in smooth muscle tissue – and given just months to live.
Gail Redpath (second left)(Image: Supplied/Daily Record)
Gail said: “I nearly fainted when the doctor told me to get my affairs in order. I was told on the same day my dad got diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
“I had no other symptoms. If I wasn’t having chemotherapy right now you wouldn’t know I have cancer. I have no aches or pains.
“I’m lucky I’m still here. Every day is a bonus.”
Gail underwent surgery to remove the cyst but a biopsy one month later revealed she had cancer in June.
Gail Redpath(Image: Supplied/Daily Record)
By the time it was detected, it had already spread to her lymph nodes and lungs.
Weeks later her tumour had started to grow outside of her body and she could hardly walk or sit down. She underwent 10 rounds of radiotherapy to shrink the mass, followed by chemotherapy to treat the tumours in her lungs.
Gail, who is mum to twins Eden and Macy, 21, is currently receiving palliative chemotherapy to keep her alive. The courageous mum has beaten the odds to survive and says she is staying positive for her children.
She added: “My first thought is how my daughters are going to survive. I’m the matriarch of the family. I can’t bear the thought of not seeing my daughters marry or have children.
Gail is a mother of twins(Image: Supplied/Daily Record)
“When I got diagnosed, I cleared my wardrobe out so they didn’t have to. It was like I was already dead.
“I’ve shut the door on those thoughts or else I’ll be pulled down to the depths of depression.
“I don’t want people crying at my funeral. My funeral song is going to be Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli and I want them to do the trumpet movement. I’ve had a good life but I’m not planning on going anywhere soon.”
The brave mum is currently waiting to join a research trial in Leicester to develop a blood test to detect sarcomas. She is desperate to spread awareness of Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and sarcoma cancers while she still can.
The rare cancers affect a very small number of people within the UK and receive very little research funding.
Gail added: “I am urging both men and women to check for lumps, be aware of fibroids, and don’t fear the GP.”
Gail is raising money for LMS Research UK. To donate, please click here.