Mourning Wolverhampton woman thought cancer symptoms were caused by grief
A woman mourning the loss of her mother had no idea she was "so dangerously ill" until she was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition.
Laura McLoughlin, from Fordhouses in Wolverhampton, was convinced she was suffering from symptoms of grief – instead of from leukaemia.
The 39-year-old had lost her mother six months before experiencing pain in her left side, weight loss and bruising, which she put down to the loss.
The mother-of-two, who was diagnosed in 2019, said: "I had no idea I was so dangerously ill, and the pain in my left side turned out to be from my spleen, which was clogged with abnormal blood cells due to the leukaemia.
"I tried not to Google my symptoms but that was impossible; I knew I had so many symptoms of leukaemia, but I tried to convince myself it was something like IBS and all would be OK."
The six most common symptoms of leukaemia include: fatigue, bruising and bleeding, fever and night sweats, repeated infections, bone and joint pain, and feeling weak or breathless.
Due to the non-specific nature of these symptoms, they’re often mistaken for something more benign – with a doctor suspected the pain in Laura's side was from a kidney infection, and Laura attributed her bruises to clumsiness. This confusion leads patients to receive late diagnoses which greatly impacts their chance of survival.
Laura was finally diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia on September 4, 2019, which also happens to be World Leukaemia Day. And speed is of the essence when it comes to treatment, so blood cancer charity Leukaemia Care are on a mission to raise awareness of the symptoms of the illness with their Spot Leukaemia campaign this month.
The mother-of-two said: "The Spot Leukaemia campaign is hugely important. Maybe if I'd seen more about the symptoms in the media and online, I would have gone to my GP much sooner.
"At diagnosis I had 100 per cent leukaemia cells; by 12 months I had hit every treatment target and had just 0.048 per cent of leukaemia cells left in my blood."
Despite the fact 437,000 people around the world are diagnosed each year, leukaemia awareness remains low. World Leukaemia Day on September 4 brings together charities and patient groups from around the globe to raise awareness of a cancer that causes 300,000 deaths worldwide each year.
And Leukaemia Care, a leading blood cancer charity, offers virtual support groups and counselling services alongside their awareness campaigns. They support patients, carers, and families, aiming to ensure everyone receives the right information regarding their options. The charity is also encouraging people to email their MP about reviewing the process of diagnosing leukaemia.
