A young woman has urged the public to seek help for persistent coughs — after her irritating tickle turned out the be the only sign of life-threatening blood cancer.
Beth Harris, 24, from Staffordshire, said if she hadn’t challenged her doctor’s initial diagnosis of a chest infection, she would have been dead within the year.
The conveyancer first began coughing in February, but assumed it would ‘just go away’.
However, after nagging from her mother and partner, she sought help from the GP, who diagnosed a chest infection and prescribed two different types of antibiotics.
‘I was one of those people who thought it was just going to go away,’ she said.
Eventually she returned to her doctor, who voiced concern that the problem was not disappearing.
To check nothing sinister was wrong, the GP sent her to the local hospital for an X-ray and CT scan.
A fortnight later she was called back to receive the crushing news that she had stage two B-cell lymphoma — a type of blood cancer.
The 24 year-old was convinced that her chesty cough would just ‘go away’
The condition develops when a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes develop abnormally, and multiply to form growths in the glands that are responsible for eliminating waste.
This can lead to tumours in numerous spots around the body, most commonly in the neck, groin and thymus gland in the chest.
Scans had found several lumps in Ms Harris’ neck and chest, including one main tumour blocking the entrance to her heart and left lung.
‘They said the minute they took a look at my results, they saw that I hit every single marker for cancer,’ she said.
‘You know your own body and I had a feeling when they asked me to come in and my mind instantly went to cancer.
‘I remember her saying “you’ve got lymphoma” and I burst into tears and zoned out.
‘I was instantly thinking I’m going to die and my mum’s going to have to plan my funeral.’
Thankfully, Ms Harris was told her cancer was caught in the nick of time.
Ms Harris’ partner Lewis urged her to visit the GP for the cough – it she hadn’t have sought help she’d be dead within a year, she said.
Around 5000 people are diagnosed with B cell lymphoma every year, according to Cancer Research UK.
‘The doctor said if I had left the cough, I would have been dead by Christmas,’ she said.
‘I’m lucky that I had a really good GP.’
Beth was initially told she would be having a six-month course of chemotherapy in hospital, but because of fluid around her heart, a decision was made to change it
‘The treatment will now be given every other week for three months,’ she said.
‘The fluid has been caused by what they thought was the chest infection.
‘If the initial three months go well, I’ll take chemotherapy tablets for the following three months.
‘The doctors hope I’ll be in remission by October.
‘I am apprehensive. But when you break it down, it doesn’t seem as big and scary.’
Her message to others is clear: ‘If you don’t feel well, get yourselves checked out
‘It’s scary to think at 24, my mum could have been planning my funeral in the New Year.’
