My story started in January 2019 when I got a small lump on my neck that I noticed when I was at work. I got a work colleague to feel it and he said yeah it feels quite big. I assumed it was a swollen lymph node because I was run down and didn’t think anything of it.
Fast forward to April 2019 I had been doing such long hours at work, as I was a manager at Costa Coffee so put the hours in! I felt extremely tired all the time but put this down to overworking. I had lost two stone in weight but again was eating healthy and had an active job! I had also been suffering with terrible itching for over 2 years prior to this and never got to the bottom of it.
In April 2019 I had the biggest swelling on my collarbone with multiple tumours sticking out so now assumed something was really not right! I took myself to A&E and got admitted with an infection and started having multiple tests. Two biopsies and a PET scan later I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma stage 2a. I had so many affected lymph nodes it was scary to see. I couldn’t believe it.
Age 26 and having a cancer diagnosis felt so surreal, you never think it would happen to you until it does. I had so many symptoms but never would put that to having blood cancer!
After 6 months of chemotherapy I finished my treatment in January 2020. I am almost 6 months in remission and have just moved in with my boyfriend living the life I didn’t think would happen for me! I am so grateful to be healthy and on my road to recovery.
I think it is so so important to raise awareness in young people as it is so easy to ignore symptoms that could just be a cold! I will never take my health for granted again.
