DonateConnie's Story
Connie Baldwin’s Story
Connie, a mum of three, was diagnosed with a molar pregnancy which developed into Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) in 2024. After numerous treatments, she was the first person to take part in the RESOLVE study. This trial of immunotherapy treatment, an alternative to chemotherapy, is led by experts in GTN and immunotherapy at Charing Cross Hospital and supported by CTRT. The trial led to her full recovery; this is her remarkable story:
When did you start to feel unwell and what symptoms did you have?
I began experiencing what felt like normal pregnancy nausea when I was around six weeks pregnant, but it quickly became far more severe than anything I had experienced before. The nausea was overwhelming and constant, and I developed strong smell aversions that made it difficult to eat or even be around certain foods.
At the time, I was caring for my two young children, so I tried to push through it, but it was incredibly difficult. By 12 weeks, I also had a much larger bump than I’d had in previous pregnancies, which reassured me that everything must be progressing normally. But in hindsight, this was probably a sign of things not being right.
When did you get the diagnosis of Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases (GTD) and what tests did you have?
I was diagnosed with a complete molar pregnancy at my 12-week scan in January 2024. The scan showed there was no baby. Following the scan, I had blood tests to measure my hCG levels, which were extremely high and explained the severity of my symptoms. I also had repeat scans and various tests with a consultant after this to confirm the diagnosis of molar pregnancy, a type of Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases (GTD).
How did you feel when you got the diagnosis?
I felt completely shocked and confused. I felt so pregnant and so unwell that I couldn’t understand how there could be no baby. Hearing that news was devastating.
Even now, I sometimes struggle to process it as a miscarriage because there was no baby, but of course it was still a pregnancy loss. I had been pregnant for 13 weeks, physically and emotionally invested in that pregnancy, and suddenly everything changed.
Did you know what GTD was?
I had never heard of GTD or a molar pregnancy before my diagnosis. I remember being taken into a family room after my scan while waiting for a doctor to explain what had been found.
While I was waiting, I searched online to try to understand what a molar pregnancy was. I had heard of missed miscarriages, but not this condition. When I read that there was a small risk it could develop into cancer, I became extremely anxious.
What was your treatment and how long did this go on for?
My initial treatment was a surgical procedure called dilation and curettage (D&C), which took place a few days after the diagnosis was confirmed. Afterwards, I had weekly blood and urine tests to monitor my hCG levels at Charing Cross Hospital and ensure they were falling back to normal.
Before surgery, my hCG levels were over 350,000. After the D&C, they dropped dramatically to around 12,000, which initially made me feel optimistic. Unfortunately, about a month later, my levels stopped falling.
In February 2024, I was told by the team at Charing Cross Hospital that I needed to attend the hospital for further investigations because it appeared the molar tissue had returned. I was advised to prepare for the possibility of staying for a week to begin chemotherapy if persistent GTD was confirmed.
That was an incredibly emotional moment. Not only was I facing the reality that the disease had become cancerous, but I also had to say goodbye to my two children not knowing how long I might be away from them.
At that stage, I met with Dr. Ehsan Ghorani who is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at Charing Cross Hospital about a new immunotherapy trial led by his team, that was about to begin. The trial offers an alternative to chemotherapy, aiming to cure the disease in a faster and kinder way. Initially, I was hesitant because immunotherapy had not been used before for persistent GTD and the unknown felt frightening.
Further blood tests and an ultrasound confirmed that the molar tissue had regrown and that I had developed persistent GTD. During discussions with Dr. Ghorani and the team, I was offered the opportunity to become the first patient in the RESOLVE trial.
After speaking in detail with Dr. Ghorani, we decided it was worth trying — especially if it meant potentially avoiding chemotherapy, remaining at home with my family, and reducing the risk of long-term side effects.
Tell us a bit about the RESOLVE trial you were offered and this leading to your recovery.
I was offered the opportunity to become the first patient to take part in the RESOLVE trial. Although I was nervous at first, the team at Charing Cross Hospital were incredibly supportive and reassuring.
In February 2024, I received a single dose of Pembrolizumab immunotherapy and was able to return home the very same day, which meant so much when I had my children waiting for me.
I was due to have a second D&C two weeks later at Queen Charlotte Hospital as part of the trial, but after catching a viral infection, the procedure had to be postponed by one week.
When the tumour was eventually removed, the consultant who did the procedure explained that it was very small. This was hugely encouraging and suggested that the immunotherapy alone may have significantly reduced the disease.
Hearing that gave me enormous hope for the future of the trial. If successful, it could mean that some patients may eventually avoid chemotherapy or additional surgery altogether.
Why do you think it is important for people to be aware of GTD and donate to enable the trial?
I think awareness of GTD is incredibly important because it is such a devastating and isolating condition. There are so few people who know what a molar pregnancy is, including healthcare professionals. What should be one of the happiest times in your life can suddenly become one of the most traumatic.
Supporting research and clinical trials like RESOLVE could make a life-changing difference to future patients. For some women, particularly those approaching 40, a diagnosis of persistent GTD and the need for chemotherapy can have huge implications for fertility and future family plans. After chemotherapy, patients are usually advised not to try to conceive for at least 12 months, and for many people time is incredibly precious.
Donations towards this research could genuinely help preserve someone’s chance of starting or growing their family.
I also believe these trials are important because the success of immunotherapy in GTD could have wider implications for cancer treatment more broadly. Supporting this research could help improve treatment options not only for GTD patients, but potentially for people facing other cancers in the future.
Connie has now made a full recovery thanks to the RESOLVE trial and welcomed a baby boy, Myles, into the world on her birthday 14th April 2026.