29-year-old dad thought he had tonsillitis – it turned out to be aggressive blood cancer

A dad-of-one who thought he had tonsillitis was diagnosed with blood cancer and told he "could have weeks left" to live.

Ryan Wilson, 29, was initially treated for Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021 after his severe night sweats turned out to be a sign of cancer.

The night sweats were so bad that he had to change his bedding multiple times during the night.

But in September 2023, Ryan became unwell again with what he thought was tonsillitis after experiencing a severe sore throat.

Doctors carried out blood tests which showed his blood counts were low, and he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) – a cancer of the white blood cells.

Some symptoms of AML, according to Cleveland Clinic, are: dizziness, easy bruising, fatigue, feeling cold, swollen lymph nodes, and loss of appetite.

Ryan Wilson's daughter was born shortly before he was diagnosed with AML (SWNS)

'It was a really big shock'

Six months later, following chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a failed stem cell transplant, he was told he "could have weeks left" to live because the stem cell transplant had failed.

Ryan, who lives in Cumbria, UK, said: "Honestly, it was a shock to us all. We had just welcomed our newborn baby; we didn't know what to think.

"It was a really big shock. I knew I might relapse from the lymphoma, but with a whole new cancer that was a lot worse – it was a huge shock."

Discussing his first cancer diagnosis, Ryan said he repeatedly called his doctor when he started suffering from night sweats in 2020.

He says he was "fobbed off" and told to take a COVID test, which kept coming back negative.

In January 2021, Ryan started to become really ill, started coughing up balls of phlegm and went to Furness Hospital.

Ryan, now 29, has previously battled Hodgkin lymphoma (SWNS)

'I was only 23 at the time'

He was transferred to the Christie's Hospital, Manchester, where he was kept and underwent a blood test and biopsy. The results came back showing that Ryan had Hodgkin lymphoma.

Speaking to Talk to the Press, Ryan said: "Honestly, I didn't really take it all in. I started treatment straight away; I didn't have time to absorb what they were telling me."

Ryan underwent six months of chemotherapy, followed by a month of radiotherapy to kill the remaining cancer.

On August 31, 2021, Ryan was able to ring the bell after he was told the cancer was in remission.

"Honestly, I was on cloud nine," Ryan said. "I was only 23 at the time, and it was during COVID, so I didn't actually miss much."

"After the treatment, I just wanted to get back out there, and I went straight back to work and went out with my mates," he went on.

On November 5, 2021, Ryan married his wife, Shannon, 29, and the pair welcomed their daughter, now aged three, in July 2023.

Sadly, the happiness didn't last long, and in September 2023, Ryan went to Furness General Hospital with what he believed was tonsillitis.

Doctors did a blood test, revealed his blood count was low, and he was sent to The Christie's for a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed he had AML.

He underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

At one stage Ryan was urged to spend time with his family as it was feared he didn't have long left to live (SWNS)

'I had no immune system'

After six months in hospital, doctors informed Ryan that the stem cell transplant wasn't successful and in January 2024, he was sent home for palliative care.

Ryan said: "I had no immune system; I was living from blood transfusions. The hospital sent me home and told me that I might only have a few weeks at home and to spend time with my family."

A few weeks went by, and then a few months and Ryan wasn't feeling any worse, so Shannon called the Christie and asked if Ryan could have a second stem cell transplant.

The hospital gave the go-ahead, and Ryan underwent the transplant in July 2024.

"A month went by, and I was still here," Ryan said.

"I wasn't feeling any worse, so we kept ringing and ringing the Christie's and asking for a second transplant.

"Luckily, they gave a go-ahead. I underwent the stem cell transplant, and I have been in remission ever since."

During his time in hospital undergoing treatment, Ryan and Shannon decided to start Believe Within, a clothing brand that will offer standard clothes as well as customisable options made to be more accessible for people having treatment.

Ryan said: "When you’re going through treatment, you don’t always feel like yourself, so I found myself buying high-end clothing because looking good and feeling good about what I was wearing gave me a little bit of confidence back.

"But when I was in hospital receiving treatment through a PICC line, I’d often have to remove layers of clothing just to give nurses access to the line – hospital rooms can be cold, especially during the winter, and it could leave me feeling uncomfortable and exposed.

"Whenever I was in hospital and mentioned it to nurses and other hospital staff, they would always tell me how good they thought the idea was and encourage me to push forward with it."

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.