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Young Woman's Cancer Ignored Due to 'Looking Healthy'
25 Mar
Summary
- Symptoms dismissed as anxiety despite significant weight loss.
- GP stated 'You look healthy, so you must be fine'.
- Diagnosed with high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2023.
A 22-year-old student, Abby Maxwell, faced a harrowing ordeal when her severe symptoms were dismissed by her GP as anxiety. Between February and July 2022, Abby experienced daily sickness and lost six stone, yet doctors repeatedly reassured her she was fine, with one GP stating, "You look healthy, so you must be fine." Despite her strong intuition that something was wrong, the repeated dismissals led her to question her own health for months.
Her persistent symptoms, including significant weight loss from 13 stone to 7 stone, were linked to a previous anxiety diagnosis. However, in December 2022, Abby discovered a lump under her arm, prompting a referral for an ultrasound and biopsy. Doctors suspected lymphoma, and in January 2023, she was officially diagnosed with high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy, Abby found her care at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre exceptional. Two-and-a-half years cancer-free, she is now an advocate for young people, emphasizing the long-term physical and psychological effects of cancer treatment and the need for continued support.
