Over Christmas of 2019 I noticed something wasn’t right. I was 26 and as a personal trainer and boxing coach I kept myself very fit and active, engaged to my then fiancé we were planning our wedding the following year in Santorini. We talked about starting a family and trying for children once we were married.
It started in the gym when I was lifting anything heavy enough to raise my heart rate, I would find myself feeling a pressure between my eyes as if my sinuses were blocked. I went to the doctors on January 17th, 2020, as I knew something wasn’t right. I am so lucky I did. After blood tests and an X ray the results came back as Blood cancer. There was a mediastinal mass that was pushing on an artery that caused a severe obstruction. The obstruction limited the blood flow to my head. That’s why I had been feeling pressure when I was training. Everything from there happened so quickly now I look back. My future changed. I asked myself so many questions; What will treatment be like? What will happen with our wedding? Will I ever be able to recover physically to run my business? Will I still be here next year? Along with 1000 other questions.
February 13th I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was told I was going to go straight into chemotherapy and then potentially radiotherapy to kill the cancer. Because of the intensity of the treatment, I may not be able to have children naturally afterwards. This was a massive blow for me and my fiancé on top of my diagnosis. Throughout all this my fiancé was an absolute rock and I would not be the same person I am now without her. The good news was that because I was so fit, I would be more resilient to the treatment I was going to receive. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has a very high survival rate for my age group so although I was in for a very challenging year, I should come out the other side. Then COVID happened.
Receiving treatment through Covid was very challenging for everyone, my fiancée, the nurses and myself. The Phoenix unit in Sunderland hospital was brilliant and I owe them so much. I would be in for hours at a time on my own, but I never felt alone because of the support I received from the nurses. The same goes for the staff at the Freeman where I received my radiotherapy as well as the Nurses on B28 Sunderland who had me for 3 days when I had an infection later in my treatment. I am so lucky to be from the North-east where we have such fantastic caring and compassionate health workers. When I was asked to be an ambassador for Bright Red It was such an honor and something I am so passionate about as I’ve experienced first hand the difference for cancer patients the specialist nurses make.
I finished my radiotherapy on July 8th, 2020. I was told I was in remission November 18th, 2020. By November 2022 I was given the all clear. Since finishing my treatment, I have a totally different outlook on life. I got married to the love of my life, my now Wife. I returned to work and strived to become fitter and stronger than I have ever been. I took on challenges like: walking the length of Hadrian’s wall over 3 days, starting a new sport (Sambo) and winning a Bronze medal at national level as well as raising over £5000 for Bright Red as an ambassador by skydiving and abseiling. To top it all off on my 30th Birthday March 13th, 2023, I found out that I am going to be a Dad. As challenging as my journey was, without it I wouldn’t live my life as I do now as I truly believe it changed me for the better. I couldn’t do it alone and I am forever grateful to the medical staff, my supportive wife as well as friends and family. Lastly brilliant charities like Bright Red for helping people with Blood Cancer.