A young woman has revealed the key signs of a deadly disease she ignored for a year before getting a devastating diagnosis. Izzy Fletcher discovered she had a type of blood cancer known as Hodgkin lymphoma just three months after graduating university.
The now 24-year-old shared her symptoms via social media platform TikTok in the hopes of encouraging others to seek help if “something feels wrong”.
“Get a GP appointment if something feels wrong,” Izzy said.
“Around 2,300 young people get diagnosed with cancer a year. I don’t want to scare anyone but it’s so important to know the symptoms and catch anything nasty early.”
Following her diagnosis in 2023 Izzy, from Derby, was able to undergo a year of chemotherapy, which has left her cancer-free.
But this could have been caught sooner if she hadn’t “ignored” some of the warning signs.
In a video she revealed the signs of cancer she experienced as:
- Night sweats
- Constantly tired and fatigued
- Pain when drinking alcohol
- Random bruising
- Lumps in my neck (this was after my biopsy)
- Itching/rash all over especially neck, arms and legs.
It wasn’t until Izzy started experiencing a dry cough where she was unable to breathe due to how “intense” it was that she went to the GP.
She added: “It’s so important to know the symptoms to look out for yourself or if a friend mentions they have a few of these symptoms. If you are worried always get an appointment.”
Izzy also shared a message to any other cancer patients, following her vital treatment.
“Look forward to the good times because they will come and you’ll appreciate them 10 times more, which is a beautiful thing,” she said.
What is Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which is a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body.
As a result, the most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin.
Other symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the NHS are:
- Night sweats
- Unintentional weight loss
- A high temperature (fever)
- A persistent cough or feeling of breathlessness
- Persistent itching of the skin all over the body.
Other symptoms will depend on where in the body the enlarged lymph glands are. For example, if the abdomen is affected, you may have abdominal pain or indigestion.
A few people with lymphoma have abnormal cells in their bone marrow when they’re diagnosed. This may also lead to:
- Persistent tiredness or fatigue
- An increased risk of infections
- Excessive bleeding – such as nosebleeds, heavy periods and spots of blood under the skin
- Sometimes, people with Hodgkin lymphoma have pain in their lymph glands when they drink alcohol.
If you experience any symptoms you should speak to your GP.
