Seatbelt Saves Woman's Life by Detecting Hidden Cancer

In a remarkable turn of events, a 34-year-old woman from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, has credited her car seatbelt for potentially saving her life. Natalie Deakin, a hairdresser, was on her way home from the weekly grocery run on August 8, 2025, when she began to find her seatbelt increasingly "irritating" her neck.

Attempting to readjust the strap, Natalie felt a hard lump on the right side of her neck. Alarmed, she immediately booked an appointment with her GP, who ordered a series of tests. The subsequent CT scan and biopsy revealed that Natalie had Hodgkin Lymphoma, an uncommon form of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system.

Prior to this discovery, Natalie had experienced no symptoms or changes in her health. "Life was normal. I had no symptoms, nothing. There were no changes in my body. I felt very fit and healthy," she recounts. It was the discomfort from the seatbelt that prompted her to investigate further, leading to the life-changing diagnosis.

Natalie, who is now set to begin chemotherapy treatment, is grateful for the seatbelt's role in potentially saving her life. "Never in a million years did I think I'd be saying I had cancer at 34... I feel like the seat belt has probably factored in saving my life, which is strange. I'm really grateful for it. Things could've been very different for me," she says.

The mother of two is now urging others to be vigilant about their bodies and seek medical attention for any unusual changes. "People should be very vigilant over our bodies. Check yourself all the time. If you notice any sort of change and think that's not normal, get it checked out," she advises.