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Fit 22-Year-Old's Missed Cancer Symptom Sparks Urgent Health Warning
8 Aug
Summary
- Lara Muller, 22, mistook cancer symptoms for a busy lifestyle
- Coughing up blood led to Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in June 2025
- Lara urges others to trust their instincts and push for further testing

In June 2025, 22-year-old Lara Muller from Guildford, Surrey, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, after mistaking her symptoms for a busy lifestyle. Lara first began experiencing a sore neck, back pain, and a chest infection in December 2024. Shrugging off her symptoms, she continued her daily workout routine.
However, Lara's condition worsened over the following months. Her chest infection turned into a persistent cough, and she felt exhausted all the time. Despite multiple visits to her GP, Lara claims she was repeatedly told her symptoms were due to anemia and her new office job. It wasn't until March 2025, when Lara coughed up blood after developing another chest infection, that she underwent an X-ray and emergency CT scan, which revealed a mass in her chest.
Following keyhole surgery in June 2025, Lara was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. She is now raising awareness of her experience to encourage others to trust their instincts and push for further testing if they feel unwell, as it could be something serious. Lara hopes her story will inspire people to advocate for their health and not dismiss persistent symptoms.