Warning: This piece discusses cancer and may be distressing for some readers.
A young woman, who believed she was ‘far too young’ to have cancer, was diagnosed with a rare type of the disease after initially dismissing her symptoms as something else.
Izzy Darnes, 21, began noticing something was amiss in June of last year. The news that she had cancer was unexpected.
Residing in Leicestershire, UK, she began feeling unusually fatigued for about a week and then discovered a rash on her body.
Very soon, her condition deteriorated further.
Initially, Izzy assumed her tiredness and rash were related to seasonal hay fever, which the Mayo Clinic notes can present symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy red eyes, sneezing, coughing, bruised-looking skin under the eyes, extreme fatigue, and tiredness.
“I had no energy to do anything, which wasn’t like me,” she confessed.
However, bruises began to appear on her skin, with Izzy noting they were ‘massive, dark bruises that wouldn’t heal’.
She initially attributed this to bumping into things in her room, but then something happened that she couldn’t ignore.
In addition to the rash, bruises, and fatigue, her symptoms worsened over the weekend when she couldn’t see a doctor.
By Monday, she managed to see a healthcare professional and was sent to the GP assessment unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary after developing a high fever for further evaluation.
Izzy said: “Even at this point, I never thought that what I was facing was cancer.
“In my head, I was far too young for that.”
Unfortunately, test results confirmed she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Now 22, Izzy is undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment through to April.
She has faced several complications and side effects, including a stomach infection, mobility issues, and medical PTSD.
Izzy shared: “I was really poorly and I couldn’t walk. I had to be carried up the stairs because my legs didn’t work. I had to have a wheelchair, and I’ve got a crutch as my legs aren’t quite there yet, because I couldn’t use them for a month.”
Since her diagnosis, Izzy has been raising funds for The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, which has been supporting her throughout this challenging period.
The charity describes ALL as ‘a cancer of the white blood cells, which help fight infection in the body’, with symptoms including bruising that doesn’t heal, fatigue, fever, rashes, and more.
Izzy explained: “I needed something to do because I couldn’t work. I get along with all my colleagues and have missed the buzz of the office.
“I’ve missed getting up in the morning and having a purpose.
“So, having Izzy’s Legacy, it’s something for me to do. I can pick it up and put it down, but it’s something that’s mine.
“It’s my thing, and no one can take it from me.
“I’ve made it my mission to share my story as people need to be aware of cancer in young people.
“If just one person went to the doctors because they have heard my story, and it means they can catch their cancer early and get diagnosed quicker, instead of leaving it for three months where it could become more aggressive and harder to treat, then it’s worth it.”
She added: “I think having cancer makes you think of life as that bit more precious, and it probably makes you more compassionate toward people, too.”
To support or learn more about Izzy’s Legacy, you can find details here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone confidentially, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or through their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.