News

Cancer survivor shares her story this World Cancer Day

Feb 05, 2024

It takes a certain type of person to be a police officer. Resilience, determination, physical fitness, persistence and patience are common traits among WA police officers.

For 38 year old officer Naomi Arnold these qualities have helped her get through more than just the police academy.

Last year the young Aubin Grove woman underwent three surgeries, including a pain staking 10-hour Peritonectomy surgery at JHC, followed by eight months of chemotherapy at another Perth hospital.

Having earlier been diagnosed with appendix cancer, Naomi’s journey has been a long and painful one with several complications during her treatment, including COVID and pericarditis.

However, her tenacity and positive attitude has helped her through.

Naomi was first diagnosed with cancer after she had emergency surgery for a burst appendix at Broome Hospital.

Stationed at Fitzroy Crossing, she had been suffering abdominal pain and a fever for about a week before scans revealed she needed her appendix removed.

“I was fit and healthy and working hard so I never for a second thought it was anything too sinister,” she said. “I was thinking I had pulled a stomach muscle or something like that and I was run down.”

Much to her shock, pathology results on her appendix and some nearby abscesses revealed cancer forcing her to relocate back to Perth.

“Initially the plan was for me to have one third of my large bowel and some of my small bowel removed along with surrounding lymph nodes,” she said.

“However, during the operation surgeons discovered the cancer had spread to other organs so they made a decision not to remove much when it was clear Peritonectomy surgery was the only option.”

Naomi was referred to the WA Peritonectomy Service, which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Professor Moroz and his team carried out a 10 hour Peritonectomy surgery on Naomi removing all the cancer from her peritoneum cavity before filling it with hot chemo which remained in her abdomen for 90 minutes before she was sewn back together.

Naomi spent five days in the Intensive Care Unit and a further 10 days on the surgical ward at JHC

Throughout her stay she was treated by a multi-disciplinary team of experts, including surgeons, anaesthetists, oncologists, intensivists, pain specialists, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers and the ward 1A staff who she describes as “amazing”.

The surgery was followed by 12 rounds of chemotherapy over eight months.

Naomi is now back doing office work as a police officer two days a week as she continued on her path to full recovery.

She is full of praise for Professor Paul Moroz and his team and says she couldn’t have got through without family, friends and her employer – the WA Police Force.