‘Doctors told me it was stress – then I was diagnosed with stage four cancer,

For twenty-two year-old Emily Edwards, the past year has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Last year, after months of feeling unwell and having a variety of unexplained symptoms, Emily was diagnosed with stage four cancer.

“I was absolutely devastated,” says Emily. “I was only 21 at the time and had always been healthy. I couldn’t believe it when the doctors told me the news.”

For months before her diagnosis, Emily had been experiencing a range of symptoms ranging from fatigue to night sweats. She had also experienced a significant weight loss and a swollen lymph node in her neck. She had visited her doctor multiple times, but was told that it was likely just stress and she should take it easy.

“I was shocked when they told me it was cancer,” Emily recalls. “I had no idea that the symptoms I was experiencing could be related to something so serious.”

Emily was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. She was immediately started on a course of chemotherapy, and is now in remission.

“I’m so grateful that I was able to get the treatment I needed in time,” she says. “I know that if I had waited any longer, the outcome could have been much worse.”

Emily is now determined to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of lymphoma, and to encourage people to seek medical attention if they experience any unexplained changes in their health.

“It’s so important to listen to your body and to get help if you think something is wrong,” she says. “I want to encourage people to get checked out, even if they’re unsure. It could be the difference between life and death.”