Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
A woman, who thought she was ‘far too young’ to get cancer, was diagnosed with a rare form of the disease after dismissing her symptoms as something else.
Izzy Darnes, 21, began to realize something wasn’t quite right in June last year, but could never have expected to be told she had cancer.
The young woman, from Leicestershire, UK, described feeling lethargic for around a week, and then noticed a rash on her skin.
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But very quickly, things got worse.
Initially, Izzy thought being tired and having a rash was in line with a bout of seasonal hay fever, which the Mayo Clinic describes as having symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy, red eyes, sneezing, a cough, bruised-appearing skin under the eyes, extreme tiredness and fatigue.
“I had no energy to do anything, which wasn’t like me,” she admitted.
However, bruising then began to appear on her skin, with Izzy stating they were ‘massive, dark bruises that wouldn’t heal’.
Having put it down to bumping into things in her bedroom, something would happen that she couldn’t ignore.
Aside from the petechiae cluster rash, bruises and fatigue, her condition then worsened over the weekend after being unable to see a doctor.
On the Monday, she was able to see someone, but was then sent to the GP assessment unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary for investigation after she developed a high temperature.
Izzy said: “Even at this point, I never thought that what I was facing was cancer.
“In my head, I was far too young for that.”
Sadly, her tests came back to confirm she has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Now 22, Izzy is undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment until April.
Sadly, she shared how she suffered from complications and side effects, such as a stomach infection, mobility issues, and now she has medical PTSD.
Izzy said: “I was really poorly and I couldn’t walk. I had to be carried up the stairs because my legs didn’t work. I had to have a wheelchair, and I’ve got a crutch as my legs aren’t quite there yet, because I couldn’t use them for a month.”
Since her diagnosis, Izzy has been fundraising for The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, who have been helping her during this difficult time.
The non-profit organization categorizes ALL as ‘a cancer of the white blood cells, which help fight infection in the body’, and lists the symptoms as bruising that doesn't heal, fatigue, fevers, rashes, and more.
Izzy said: “I think I needed something to do because I couldn't work. I get along with all my colleagues and have missed the buzz of the office.
“I’ve missed getting up in the morning and having a purpose.
“So, having Izzy's Legacy, it's something for me to do. I can pick it up and put it down, but it's something that's mine.
“It's my thing, and no one can take it from me.
“I’ve made it my mission to share my story as people need to be aware of cancer in young people.
“If just one person went to the doctors because they have heard my story, and it means they can catch their cancer early and get diagnosed quicker, instead of leaving it for three months where it could become more aggressive and harder to treat, then it’s worth it.”
She also reflected: “I think having cancer makes you think of life as that bit more precious, and it probably makes you more compassionate toward people, too.”
If you want to support or find out more about Izzy’s Legacy, you can do so here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Britt Jones