Georgie Swallow, 27, thought she was suffering from eczema, a common skin condition, for 12 months before discovering her “unbearable itching” was something much more serious.
The executive assistant was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma – a rare cancer that develops in the lymphatic system – in September 2018 and underwent six months of chemotherapy in an attempt to save her life.
“What a shock”
“My diagnosis was a huge shock. I had been to the doctor three or four times before during the year because I was itching so bad,” she said.
At that time, doctors told Georgie that she suffered from eczema, so she decided to stop eating certain foods to determine if she was allergic to anything.
She lost almost 12 kilos in four weeks, but attributed it to changes in her diet and the consumption of meal replacement shakes.
“Unbeknownst to me, it was another symptom of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I only started worrying and investigating my symptoms when I suffered a month-long bout of the flu and woke up with a huge lump the size of a plum in my throat,” she said.
Stay positive
Georgie was actually diagnosed with cancer after Googling her symptoms before getting an official diagnosis from doctors.
“Everything happened very quickly, I had a CT scan, a biopsy and more tests and the next day I started chemotherapy,” he said, adding that the speed was “a blessing.”
She maintained a positive attitude throughout the treatment “to make sure the cancer doesn’t get me down.”
“My whole outlook on life has changed since I was diagnosed with cancer and I refuse to be sad,” she said.
Georgie kept things fun and light by bringing a picnic or wearing costumes and colourful wigs to her chemotherapy sessions, but admitted there were some very difficult moments.
“There was a period where my mental health deteriorated because I no longer recognized myself, but I needed to feel bad to feel good,” she said.
A battle ahead
In February 2019, Georgie was in remission, but sadly three months later her cancer returned and she is currently undergoing chemotherapy and awaiting a stem cell transplant.
Since then, she has met many other women like her through style nights organized by support group Cancer Chicks.
“I felt better knowing that there are other girls who are going through the same thing as me, it’s easier to talk to them about what I’m going through since they’re in the same boat.
“We laugh and joke about our potato-like bald spots and it’s totally fine, it’s helped me a lot.
“I may have cancer, but I am not going to stop living and I urge other girls to do the same.”
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