Cancer is a deadly disease you wouldn’t wish on even your worst enemy. Failing to pay attention to early symptoms can delay diagnosis and treatment, often leading to tragic and fatal outcomes. Therefore, stories like Nineteen-year-old Evie’s serve as a reminder to get your health checkups done every six months.
Evie shared her story of what symptoms she noticed before she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system (white blood cells), in the hopes of making others like her aware and more cautious, and not ignoring the small warning signs.
As per the outlet Tyla, the teenager first shared a video on TikTok and said that it began with her feeling extremely tired. Evie explained that she was ‘sleeping 24/7’ and couldn’t get through the day without a nap despite sleeping well at night.
Sometimes, one would dodge the symptoms, thinking that it must be just stress or anxiety or just a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of situation, but it’s important to get tested if the fatigue does not end.
Then Evie added that her weight also fluctuated noticeably without any changes in her diet or levels of physical activity. She also developed an unusually low tolerance to alcohol, becoming excessively intoxicated after consuming just one drink. “I apologize to my friends for this one.” Eventually, major physical symptoms started showing up, which included a grape-sized lump in her throat.
View this post on Instagram
As per the outlet, the teen said, “I had a sore throat/cough for months.” Later, she said that she also had rough and itchy skin that made her run through bottles of body lotion like there was no tomorrow. Evie also said that she started vomiting one fine morning but dismissed this as anxiety.
Evie rushed to her general practitioner to help her figure out what had gone wrong with her. Doctors later confirmed the lump was a swollen lymph node, inflamed due to Hodgkin lymphoma.
Evie also added that she battled near-weekly throat and chest infections—an indication of her weakened immune system. Despite frequent visits to the GP, she was repeatedly prescribed antibiotics and reassured it was likely due to “teenage stress and hormones.”
View this post on Instagram
Meanwhile, as per the Lymphoma Research Foundation, this particular type of cancer can occur in both children and adults. It is most typically diagnosed in young adults between the ages of 15 and 35 and older adults over age 50; moreover, according to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 9,000 new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma are diagnosed each year.
Therefore, this incident is a reminder that it is important to keep your health in check and not fall for over-the-counter medicine as an easy way to relieve pain and seek a cure. Typically, a biopsy can detect the cancer, and then a doctor can accordingly suggest a treatment plan.
Choose the right doctor, educate yourself and your family, and remember prevention is better than a cure.
