Women reevaluate their marriages significantly upon learning about cancer, according to a lawyer.

Among women who have been informed by doctors that they are cancer patients, a significant number choose to end their marriages. This is reported by Daily Mail, referencing family law attorney Cassandra Kalpakxis.

In her 14 years of working in family law, she has witnessed hundreds of divorces, yet one particular type continues to shock her. The 37-year-old expert admits she is constantly amazed by wives who come to her office seeking a divorce after learning they are terminally ill.

"They come to me during cancer treatment and express their desire for divorce. They are either tired of living a lie and realize that life is short, or they understand that they don’t want to die next to a partner they are no longer in love with," she tells me.

The advocate notes that individuals with terminal illnesses often experience a moment of clarity regarding their diagnosis, prompting them to radically reevaluate their marriage, and they are very determined to see the legal process through to the end.

"Sometimes they are unsure whether they are in the terminal stage or not, but just having cancer with a poor prognosis is enough for them to want to get rid of their partner," she adds.

Ms. Kalpakxis has found that women who request divorces typically do so around the age of 50, while men tend to seek divorce at around 70. However, in cases involving terminally ill spouses, this can happen at any age.

The length of the marriage also does not influence the decision.

"It's almost as if they wake up [after the diagnosis] and decide they don't want to live a lie anymore, and they are tired of this charade. In some cases, they feel completely detached from their husband. Perhaps they didn’t support them through the diagnosis as they would have liked, or maybe they haven’t been pulling their weight at home," she explains.

The lawyer always asks her clients if they are sure they want to go through their illness alone. They are invariably resolute.

"It's very difficult when these individuals walk out the door after such a diagnosis, aiming to make such an important decision," she recounts.

Ms. Kalpakxis recalls her first encounter with such a divorce. A woman came to her after informing her husband of her incurable diagnosis, expressing that she did not want to remain married until the end. The lawyer was taken aback and felt devastated for a woman who believed it was better to face cancer and death alone rather than with her husband.

"As far as I remember, they had been together for over 20 years, and she was finally tired of being the last priority," the attorney said.

She notes that she has never had a male client with a terminal illness who wanted a divorce.

"Mostly, these women have held on to these relationships for too long, putting everyone else first. Then they go through a life-changing diagnosis and realize they are still not the priority," she explains.

They are still expected to manage the household and bear the same burdens, despite being told they are likely to die soon.

"Often, these women come to me shortly after their diagnosis. They explain that nothing has changed, and they are not being supported," Cassandra Kalpakxis shares.

She has seen women who begged for help and support, telling their husbands what they needed from them, even as divorce proceedings began.

"I’ve heard them say, 'I really need you to help around the house, take on more of the childcare. I need you to comfort me and make sure I’m okay,'" the woman recounts.

Ms. Kalpakxis acknowledges that it’s difficult to witness relationships break down due to cancer or other serious illnesses, as most newlyweds are optimistic when they vow to love each other "in sickness and in health."

"Then they realize that their partner isn’t even going to properly support them in their fight against cancer, which leads them to choose divorce," she adds.

Sometimes, women find it easier to "return to family" and receive support from parents or siblings during their final months of life.

The Story of Helena

Helena, who was informed by doctors that she has cancer, shared the horrific last words her husband said before leaving her. Their 25-year marriage crumbled after she received her diagnosis.

The woman was diagnosed with multiple myeloma two years ago, and she stated that initially, her husband was "wonderful," taking care of the home and their pets.

The first stage of treatment was "terrible" for Helena; she suffered from many side effects and was left with a large tumor on her breast and a hunched back.

"I'm not sure when it started, but my husband stopped coming to bed and began sleeping on the couch. He didn’t accompany me to doctor’s appointments, he didn’t want to hug me, and when he did, it felt insincere," Helena recounted.

Everything came to a head on New Year’s Eve when her husband shouted: "Congratulations, your worst nightmare is coming true. You will die alone," she said.

Helena explained the reason for their heated exchange.

"It seemed that the more I explained that I needed his love, affection, and support, the more he tried to deny me," she said.

That night, Helena's husband left and refused to talk to her.

He returned to their home several times afterward to collect his belongings and completely distanced himself financially.

"He stopped paying for my car, and it was repossessed. He didn’t pay the mortgage. Fortunately, the utilities are still included, and he didn’t turn off my phone. I have disability benefits from my previous job, but it’s not enough. We have two dogs and five cats that I have to care for. I am physically unable to do most household chores, though I do everything I can. He still hasn’t told me what the issues were in our relationship. All of this blindsided me," the woman shares.

Helena expressed that although she knew her cancer was a problem, she didn’t think there was anything wrong in their relationship.

"How could a person who loved you for more than half of our lives suddenly become so cruel and indifferent? He was a kind, affectionate person who stood by me until something happened to him. I can’t wrap my mind around it. How does he justify this in his mind?" Helena asks.

It’s worth noting that British doctors successfully operated on a woman to remove a tumor from her brain, accessing it through the cavernous sinus—an area beneath the brain and behind the eyes. This was accomplished using the latest surgical intervention techniques.