Latest news with #AcuteMyeloidLeukaemia
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'My weird handprint-shaped bruise saved my life after a devastating diagnosis'
Nichola Smith from Glasgow first noticed unusual bruising on her arms, but she had no idea it was the first sign of a life-threatening illness that she would face, not once, but three separate times At 12 years old, Nichola Smith noticed unusual bruising on her arms, with one shaped like a handprint. But it was far from a scrape in the playground or a play fight with her brother, as it led to a devastating diagnosis that she could never imagine. In January 1994, Nichola, from Glasgow, was a typical pre-teen before she started to feel persistently unwell. For weeks, the 12 year old had high temperatures, fatigue and experienced bouts of diarrhoea. Then one day, after play-fighting with her brother and cousins, as any typical child does, she spotted something unusual "I remember one of them had grabbed me," said Nichola, now 44, "and it left a bruise on my arm in the shape of a handprint." Not thinking too much into it at the time, Nichola went to her GP with her mum and was told she had a viral illness. She was sent home and told to attend a precautionary blood test the following week. READ MORE: 'I went for a quick eye test after breaking my glasses - days later I had surgery' However, in just a few days, Nichola had collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital. Just hours later, Nichola was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). Leukaemia UK reports that 37% of all leukaemia cases are diagnosed in emergency departments, a figure significantly higher than the average of 21% for all other cancers. Delays in diagnosis can result in limited treatment options and a reduced chance of survival. Currently, there are 60,000 people living with leukaemia in the UK. Nichola recalled: "Mum watched a lot of medical programmes and as soon as I was taken to hospital she said she had a feeling it was leukaemia. "She knew that the extreme bruises were a symptom. I went into complete panic mode. I thought I was going to die." Nichola underwent treatment for AML immediately, with several blood transfusions and five rounds of chemotherapy. On the road to recovery, she returned home, but devastatingly, by July 1995, she was told that her leukaemia had returned. This led the teenager to undergo a bone marrow transplant six months later to try and put her into remission. They couldn't find a suitable match with family members or on the donor register, so instead, Nichola received an autologous transplant – a transplant from her own cells. The transplant was a success, and Nichola soon went into remission. She was able to return to normal life as a teenager, went back to school before attending college and started her career working in a nursery. Nichola underwent regular testing to monitor the potential after-effects of the treatment she endured. In 2006, at the age of 26, one of these appointments revealed she had pre-cancerous cells in both her breasts, a common side effect of the leukaemia treatment she had received all those years ago. "It was another trauma to get through," she said. "They said I would need a double mastectomy. I had three major operations and a lot of recovery time. I still get checked every year for any breast cancer cells." But that wasn't the last of the bad news that Nichola had to face. In January 2022, she contracted COVID-19 and struggled to recover. After undergoing tests, it tragically revealed that she had myelodysplasia - a blood cancer that could eventually lead to AML. Nichola said: "I was devastated. I kept saying to myself, 'Here we go again' and 'why me?'. I have had so much bad luck in my life with my health and I couldn't believe I was going to have to fight again." She was initially put on a 'watch and wait' regime, followed by blood transfusions. Come August 2023, the situation escalated as her blood cancer advanced, needing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and another stem cell transplant. Thanks to advancements in cancer treatment since her initial stem cell transplant in 1996, Nichola's brother, Andrew, could donate stem cells despite only being a 50% match. Miraculously, the transplant turned out to be a success. "Since my first leukaemia diagnosis, I feel like I have built a resilience and a wall that hides how I feel. But at times that wall crashes down," Nichola admitted. "I am still young, and it shouldn't be like that. Cancer has taken a lot from me, but I am grateful to still be here. After four cancers, I hope I can have a normal life but for now, I'm taking it one day at a time." Nichola is courageously sharing her story in support of the #SPOTLeukaemia campaign, spearheaded by Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care, to spotlight the warning signs of leukaemia. Shockingly, 28 people in the UK are diagnosed with leukaemia every day, yet the symptoms can be so diverse and widespread that diagnoses are frequently missed or incorrect. The most common symptoms of leukaemia are: Extreme tiredness (fatigue) Bruising Unusual bleeding Repeated infections This year, the #SPOTLeukaemia message will be hard to miss. Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care have teamed up with JCDecaux Community Channel, an initiative from the UK's leading out-of-home media owner JCDecaux UK, to bring the campaign to more than 150 digital billboards in major cities across the UK, including eight in Scotland. The campaign will run until the end of June.
Daily Record
06-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots woman 'saved by handprint bruise' after devastating cancer diagnosis
Nichola Smith, 44, began her battle with cancer at just 12-years-old. A Scots woman diagnosed with blood cancer three times has told how a handprint bruise "saved her life". Nichola Smith, 44, from Glasgow, fell unwell at the age of 12, suffering fatigue, high temperatures and bouts of diarrhoea. After playing with her brother and cousins, she noticed a strange bruise on her hand. Speaking to our sister title, Glasgow Live, said: 'I remember one of them had grabbed me and it left a bruise on my arm in the shape of a handprint.' She went to the GP with her mum, where she was diagnosed with a viral illness. After being sent home, Nichola collapsed and was rushed to hospital. Just hours later, the then-schoolgirl was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). Nichola said: 'Mum watched a lot of medical programmes and as soon as I was taken to hospital she said she had a feeling it was leukaemia. She knew that the extreme bruises were a symptom. I went into complete panic mode. I thought I was going to die.' Treatment began immediately for Nichola, and after several blood transfusions and five rounds of chemotherapy, she returned home to begin the road to recovery. But the following year, received the devastating news that her AML was back. She then underwent a bone marrow transplant to put her in remission. Thankfully, the treatment was successful and she was finally able to resume normal teenage life. She went on to attend regular testing to monitor the potential after-effects of the harsh treatment she had received. It was during one of these appointments in 2006 that a routine mammogram revealed she had pre-cancerous cells in both her breasts - a common side effect of the leukaemia treatment she had received. Nichola was 26 at the time. She said: 'It was another trauma to get through. They said I would need a double mastectomy. I had three major operations and a lot of recovery time. I still get checked every year for any breast cancer cells.' Just when Nichola thought she was finally in the clear, bad news struck again in January 2022, when she contracted COVID-19 and found she struggled to recover. Tests revealed she had myelodysplasia, a blood cancer that could eventually lead, once more, to AML. For the fourth time, Nichola's world was rocked by cancer. Nichola said: 'I was devastated. I kept saying to myself 'Here we go again' and 'why me'. I have had so much bad luck in my life with my health and I couldn't believe I was going to have to fight again.' Nichola was placed on the 'watch and wait' list, then started on blood transfusions. In August 2023, she received the news that her blood cancer had progressed and she once again needed chemotherapy, as well as radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant. With significant progress in cancer research since Nichola's first stem cell transplant in 1996, her brother, Andrew, was now able to donate stem cells with only a 50% match. Thankfully, the transplant was successful. Nichola is sharing her story in support of the #SPOTLeukaemia campaign. which aims to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of the disease. The most common symptoms of leukaemia are: Extreme tiredness (fatigue) Bruising Unusual bleeding Repeated infections Colin Dyer, CEO at Leukaemia Care said: 'Nichola's story is a powerful reminder of why we all need to know the signs and symptoms of leukaemia. The reality is that leukaemia can develop quickly and be life-threatening, yet the early symptoms like fatigue, bruising or repeated infections are often mistaken for less serious illnesses. 'That's why our #SpotLeukaemia campaign is so important. We want everyone to be aware of the signs, because recognising something as seemingly simple as a handprint-shaped bruise can, quite literally, save a life.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man cycles 500km from North Yorkshire to London for Blood Cancer UK
James Badger recently cycled 500km from North Yorkshire to London in memory of his late wife Philippa. He was joined for the feat by director of York-based dust extraction firm APS, Adrian Ogden. Mr Badger's challenge saw him cycle 500km from St James' Church, in Birstwith, to St James's, in London, on a 42-year-old tandem bike, with the bike's age being the same as that of his wife when she sadly passed away. The feat took place across the three days leading up to the London Marathon (Sunday, April 27) - in which Mr Badger also took part. Mr Badger's wife was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2022, and died two days later while being treated with chemotherapy at St James's University Hospital in Leeds. The Tandem to the Thames challenge is in aid of Blood Cancer UK, raising funds for a York University research project into Acute Myeloid Leukaemia treatments. To donate, please visit
