Woman, 31, suffering from 45-lb uterine tumour will finally undergo surgery in Thailand

A long-suffering young woman carrying a 45lb tumour in her belly will finally receive treatment in Thailand.

Orapin Suwanno, 31, seen in photos nursing a cancer-swollen stomach larger than her head, was first diagnosed with uterine cancer at the National Cancer Institute of Thailand in Bangkok in 2015.

She underwent two surgeries and chemotherapy, then returned to her home country of Laos to recover. However, the tumour recurred and began growing again in her abdomen.

The medical costs used up all of the struggling family's savings, and with the minimum wage in the Communist country being the equivalent of 56 GBP a month, there was no chance of them affording further treatment.

With no money left, Orapin and her family relied on traditional medicine such as lemongrass tea and herbs to address her symptoms.

The poor woman was resigned to dying from the malignant mass, and she posted selfies showing her bloated stomach on social media, in a desperate bid to appeal to Good Samaritans online.

Her prayers were answered when a Laotian expat currently living in America found her photos through popular Lao YouTuber Keum Jaisawang and offered to extend financial assistance.

Orapin is now scheduled to receive treatment at the Srinagarind Hospital in Thailand's Khon Kaen province.

She said: 'At first, I thought I was only being brought there for a diagnosis. I was surprised when the hospital agreed to take me in as a patient. I am so grateful to those who donated money to help me.

'Now I have hope. I feel like there is a chance for me to get better and live a normal life.'

Meanwhile, the vlogger, Keum, said she took pity on Orapin upon seeing her pictures on Facebook, and decided to amplify her call for help through her YouTube channel.

She said: 'At first, I was worried that no one would care. But there were many kind-hearted people, including one of my followers from the US. Together, we raised more than 100,000 baht for Orapin's treatment.'

Local media reported that Orapin's cancer may be Thailand's largest recorded uterine tumour.

There are two types of uterine cancer - the rare 'uterine sarcoma' which affects the muscle wall of the uterus, and the more common endometrial cancer, where the tumour develops in the uterus lining.

In the United States, it is the most common cancer that affects a woman's reproductive system, with around 65,000 being diagnosed each year.

Endometrial cancer can often be cured if detected early, through the removal of the uterus. The symptoms include pelvic pain, bleeding between periods, and bleeding after menopause.