What cancer were you diagnosed with?

Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma - Has since relapsed

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What age were you diagnosed?

26

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What has helped you to thrive?

Finding the fun and seeing the positive throughout my journey has been so important in helping me thrive. Cancer can take a lot away from you but the one thing it cannot take is your attitude. Also a huge reason I am able to stay positive is down to the relationships I have formed thanks to Trekstock. It's like having an extended family and all of them ‘get it.’

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Georgie's Story

After having what I thought was the flu for about a month and then finding a large lump on the side of my neck I went to see my GP. Luckily I had a quick thinking doctor who ran through a list of symptoms for Lymphoma and it turned out I had every one of them. I had experienced severe itching for about a year (which I had gone to the doctors for about 3 times!), recurrent infections, fatigue, weight loss, cold/flu and now a darn big lump in my neck! I was referred for multiple tests and got a call on a Thursday that I had Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and I was starting chemo on the Friday. Although I was gutted I couldn’t have my eggs harvested or get the brows micro-bladed, the speed of it all was a blessing for me - I didn’t have time to sit and worry!

I underwent 12 rounds of ABVD chemotherapy over 6 months to reach remission. Even though those 6 months were tough I focused on finding the fun and turning a rather negative & scary experience into something quite positive. I focussed on fundraising for my hospital, comparing my bald noggin to Christmas baubles and boiled eggs, and connecting with others thanks to Trekstock.

Slowly I started to get my life back together; going to the gym to rebuild strength and starting the Renew program, seeing friends, planning on going back to work and sprouting some new hairs…. 

But all that changed when I received the news I had relapsed at my 3 month check up. If I thought the news of cancer the first time hit me like a bus, well this time it was a dam freight train! I struggled to see the positives this time round as I underwent serious surgery and was told it was unlikely I will ever be able to have children thanks to a Stem Cell Transplant I needed. Luckily I have a great support network from others that ‘get it’ who helped me cope and keep me chipper. I have now completed 3 cycles of Gem-P chemo and getting geared up for my transplant.

READ MORE OF GEORGIE'S STORY HERE