Woman, 26, with excessive itching diagnosed herself with cancer after being dismissed by doctors
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: sumbulari/Instagram
A young woman had to put up with unpleasant symptoms for almost a year before she finally got an official diagnosis of cancer.
Sumbul Ari had been experiencing itchy skin for some time and it got so bad that she was unable to have a full night's sleep as she kept waking up to scratch herself.
In light of the excessive itching she'd been having since April last year, Sumbul went to the doctors on numerous different occasions but was turned away.
One medical professional suggested that her itchiness stemmed from dry skin and told her to moisturize, while another simply said that 'it’s just one of those things'.
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In addition to itchiness, Sumbul started to experience fluctuations in her body temperature, loss of appetite and energy, and a cough.
Sumbul's symptoms continued to persist to a point where she was 'emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted'.
Sumbul, now 26, had diagnosed herself with cancer at this point after going down what she described to PEOPLE as a 'Reddit rabbit hole every night'.
"As soon as I read itchy skin, night sweats and fatigue, I knew I had cancer," said Sumbul.
Then, when she developed a lump in her neck, doctors started taking Sumbul more seriously.
After rushing herself back to the doctors once she'd discovered the lump, medical professionals went on to find that Sumbul had abnormal and enlarged lymph nodes in other parts of her body too.
After further testing, she was diagnosed with Stage 2-3 Hodgkin lymphoma in March 2026. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Hodgkin lymphoma 'is a group of blood cancers that develop in your lymphatic system'.
The site adds: "These cancers affect important white blood cells in your immune system called lymphocytes."
"I didn’t care if it was cancer, I just wanted the itching to stop and wanted a full night's sleep," Sumbul said of her diagnosis.
Sumbul continued: "Being told I had cancer was relieving. I finally had an answer. But I was very frustrated at all the doctors who dismissed me, and very, very angry.
"There is nothing more frustrating than knowing there is something incredibly wrong, but being brushed off by the people who are supposed to help."
Now Sumbul is in the middle of chemotherapy and, since her first session, she says all the unpleasant cancer symptoms have gone.
"I can’t believe I am saying this, but I sleep every single night like a baby, and I no longer scratch myself," she said, adding: "Every single morning I wake up grateful for a full night's sleep. I forgot what it felt like to wake up well rested."
In light of her experiences, Sumbul has urged people to listen to their bodies and keep pushing for answers if they think something isn't right.
She shared: "Never stop advocating for yourself when you know something is deeply wrong. Keep trying until someone listens."
Itchy skin can be a sign of Hodgkin lymphoma, says VeryWell Health. Other symptoms of can include:
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.