INFLUENCER Lorna Luxe announced her husband of 16 years, John Andrews, passed away after suffering from adrenal cancer.
The 64-year-old was first diagnosed with the rare disease in April 2023.
Lorna Luxe and her husband John Andrews were together for 16 yearsCredit: Getty
John was diagnosed with adrenal cancer in 2023Credit: Instagram
He passed away with Lorna by his sideCredit: Instagram
He passed away at home on February 11, .
“My beautiful, brave John died yesterday. I am heartbroken,” Lorna wrote on .
“We were together to the very end, at home, in our own bed and holding hands which is exactly what he wanted.
“The last conversation we had I asked him how he was feeling and he replied ‘rough but in love’ and that was so him, to the point and choosing to put aside his fears to make me feel cherished and loved.”
She concluded the heart-breaking post by saying: “John you are a class act and I will love you forever.”
is rare and affects the adrenal glands.
These are located above the kidneys and make hormones like cortisol, oestrogen and testosterone to keep the body working properly.
The glands have two layers – the outer layer or cortex, and the inner layer or medulla – and tumours can grow on both of these.
There are two types of adrenal cancer: adrenal cortical cancer (ACC) and phaeochromocytoma.
In the UK, around 260 people are diagnosed with adrenal gland cancer every year, according to Cancer Research UK .
Adrenal cancer affects everyone differently, but it often starts with subtle symptoms like exhaustion.
Some people develop pain if the tumour grows and presses on nearby organs.
Others may notice hormonal symptoms as the tumours hijack the adrenal glands and release extra hormones.
General symptoms of adrenal cancer may include:
- Pain in your tummy
- Tiredness
- Weight loss
- Feeling or being sick
- Headaches
Lorna opened up about the prospect of becoming a widow in her 40sCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
She described John as a ‘class act’ in a post announcing his deathCredit: tiktok/@lornaluxe
Adrenal cancer can lead to the production of extra hormones, meaning people might have too much cortisol or aldosterone – which helps to balance the levels of salt and water – in their body.
According to Cancer Research UK, this can cause symptoms such as:
- Swelling of the face giving a rounded appearance
- Acne on your face
- Muscle wasting and weakness in the legs and arms, making them look thinner
- Weight gain that is more noticeable in the trunk of the body
- High blood pressure
- Thinning and darkening of the skin
- Bruising easily
- Stretch marks which might have a purple colour
- Face flushing
- A fatty hump at the top of your back
- Feeling generally unwell
- Mood swings
- Feeling thirsty
- Developing diabetes
If the cancer makes too many sex hormones, it can cause changes in women like a deeper voice, changes to and loss.
Men may experience a loss of sex drive or impotence.
‘Scary place’
John was initially diagnosed with stage three adrenal cancer, which progressed to stage four while he was undergoing treatment.
He went into remission in November 2023, but by May 2024 the cancer had returned and spread to his brain.
Complications from his chemotherapy treatment saw him rushed into the hospital just before with organ failure.
John pulled through and was able to spend the festive period at home.
But Lorna – a fashion influencer and entrepreneur with a huge following – was left .
The pair, who met when she was 25 and he was 46, had a 21 year age gap.
Opening up to in January, Lorna said: “It’s been quite scary because we don’t know how long we’ve got.
“We don’t know how long John is going to feel up for doing things, so we’re running at a million miles an hour at the minute. We know we’re on a timeline.’
“I don’t make long-term plans.
“Fundamentally, I’m probably going to be a widow at some point in my 40s, and that’s a bit of a scary place to be for any woman.”
Risk factors for adrenal cancer
You may be more at risk of adrenal cancer if you:
- Smoke
- Have been exposed to chemicals like asbestos or radon
- You’ve had radiation therapy to your abdomen, where your adrenal glands are located
While most adrenal cancers occur for no apparent reason, about 15 per cent of people who develop adrenal tumours have a genetic disorder.
We don’t know what exactly causes adrenal gland cancers.
Mutations in the DNA can cause cells in your adrenal gland to change, grow and become cancerous, but we don’t know exactly why these DNA mutations happen.
Some people inherit a gene mutation from a biological parent, which increases their risk of adrenal cancer.
Others may develop adrenal gland cancer due to exposure to certain cancer-causing substances.
Source: Cleveland Clinic
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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