Georgie Swallow, London, UK-based content producer, is raising awareness about Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a part of the immune system, by speaking of the symptoms she experienced but tried to ignore.
Georgie received the diagnosis at the age of just 28, and sadly, due to the treatment, she experienced early menopause before being able to get pregnant.
When she started experiencing the symptoms, which she believed were a result of stress, Georgie thought that visiting a doctor was “wasting everyone’s time.”
She says she was naive to think that nothing serious could happen to her even when she noticed a lump in the side of her neck.
Georgie, who is now 32, says the illness affected her mental and physical well-being.
Three symptoms she suffered the most before the stage 4 cancer diagnosis were itchy legs, nocturnal sweats, and general fatigue.
“I would itch until I broke the skin which would keep me up all night. I went to the doctor and they thought it could be stress, allergies or urticaria but no cream or lifestyle change would make it go,” she explained.
“During this time I was losing weight, having night sweats, constantly exhausted and a never-ending stream of colds and flus but I just thought I was on the go too much and wearing myself out.”
Georgie highlighted that these symptoms can be rather mild and brushed off as other things which is why the cancer can oftentimes be discovered late.
As of the early menopause, Georgie compared it to feeling like “being hit by a bus.”
“Cancer can take quite a lot away from you but losing my fertility before I’d had a chance to have children was difficult.
“The menopause at any age can be difficult, but at 28 I didn’t have anyone my age to talk to about it.
“None of my friends understood what I was going through, and as supportive as they were, it’s hard to comfort and relate to something you don’t understand.”
This brave young woman is now sharing her story in an attempt to raise awareness about the importance of timely doctor’s visits, as well as the negative effects early menopause can have on mental health.
