A young woman has revealed the key signs of a deadly disease she ignored for a year before receiving the devastating diagnosis. Izzy Fletcher discovered she had a blood cancer known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma just three months after graduating from college.
The now 24-year-old shared her symptoms on social media TikTok to encourage others to seek help if “something feels wrong”.
“Make an appointment with the GP if anything feels off,” Izzy said.
“About 2,300 young people get cancer every year. I don’t want to scare anyone, but it’s so important to know the symptoms and catch any nasty ones early.
Following her diagnosis in 2023, Derby native Izzy underwent a year of chemotherapy which has left her cancer free.
But this could have been detected earlier if he hadn’t “ignored” some warning signs.
In the video, he revealed the signs of cancer he experienced as follows:
- Night sweats
- Constantly tired and fatigued
- Pain while drinking alcohol
- The occasional bruise
- Lumps on my neck (this was after my biopsy)
- Itching/rash all over, especially on the neck, arms and legs.
It wasn’t until Izzy started experiencing a dry cough where she couldn’t breathe that she went to the GP.
She added: “It’s so important to know the symptoms so you can monitor yourself or if a friend mentions they have a few of these symptoms. If you’re worried, always make an appointment.”
Izzy also shared the message with other cancer patients after her life-saving treatment.
“Wait for the good times because they will come and you’ll appreciate them 10 times more, which is a beautiful thing,” he said.
What is Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare cancer that develops in the lymphatics, which are blood vessels and glands that have spread throughout the body.
As a result, the most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling of a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit, or groin.
Other symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the NHS, include:
- Night sweats
- Unintentional weight loss
- High temperature (fever)
- A persistent cough or feeling short of breath
- Constant itching of the skin all over the body.
Other symptoms depend on where in the body the enlarged lymph nodes are. For example, if your stomach has been affected, you may have stomach pain or indigestion.
A few people with lymphoma have abnormal cells in their bone marrow when they are diagnosed. This can also lead to:
- Constant tiredness or exhaustion
- Increased risk of infection
- Excessive bleeding – such as nosebleeds, heavy periods and spotting under the skin
- Sometimes people with Hodgkin lymphoma have pain in their lymph nodes when they drink alcohol.
If you have symptoms, contact your general practitioner.
