Cancer stories

Sheridan’s story

I noticed some weight loss and changes in bowel movements. My GP initially thought it may be a condition called diverticulitis, but the symptoms got worse. I kept having scans until an ultrasound showed it was non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

I considered briefly not having chemotherapy, as I had heard how awful it was. I’m glad I changed my mind because, while it’s different for everyone, for me it was life-saving and managed well by the treatment team.

I had a catheter put into my upper chest after my first chemo, as my veins were small and it was difficult to get a cannula in. While it was painful to insert, the catheter turned out to be very useful.

I came to understand that considerable advances have been made in the delivery of chemotherapy and, while it was unpleasant, side effects such as pain and nausea can be controlled.

When I was told I was in complete remission, I felt incredibly relieved.