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Back in Nov 2021 I developed a cough, more annoying than persistent, not enough to think it was anything too serious. In December I took part in a charity boxing match to raise money for cancer research- ironic, I know! After the fight I coughed for a good few hours but the next day nothing… and it went on like that for months.
In Feb 2022 the cough was more frequent and now quite painful so after being pestered by my mum and sister I finally took myself off to the doctors for some antibiotics. The nurse I saw said my chest sounded clear but maybe I should have a chest X-ray before they prescribed anything. The next week was the X-ray, and by the time I’d got home the hospital had called to say I needed a CT-scan as the X-ray had shown a shadow on my lung.
CT scan the following week showed the mass on my Thymus gland. I had no idea what a Thymus gland was at that stage, and it seems from my conversations neither did anyone else.
A biopsy confirmed the rarer, more aggressive form of Thymus cancer- Thymic Carcinoma (stage 4) – and it had spread to my lung lining and a vertebra.
My world came crashing down around me. Being diagnosed with cancer is hard enough but having a rare cancer (less the 350 a year are diagnosed) is a very scary and lonely place.
Chemo started straight away and so far the cancer seems to be responding well.
My journey is far from over but I’m passionate about raising awareness through the work that ThymicUK are doing.
