A woman revealed she ignored symptoms for months, believing it was Covid, but later discovered she had stage four cancer at just 25 years old. Evgenia, from London, suffered from shoulder pain, fatigue, and an annoying cough but she shared what made her eventually go to the doctors for help.
A rash on her skin and worsening pain in her shoulder blade pushed the then 25-year-old to seek help in March 2023. She explained how doctors initially seemed unworried about her condition but a long wait and delayed appointment for a biopsy meant her cancer was caught much later.
An MRI of her neck from 2023 did not raise any major alarm but a small glimpse of a lump lower in her chest led doctors to refer the young adult to a lung specialist. Evgenia revealed her condition dramatically deteriorated while waiting for a delay between her appointments.
By the time she underwent a biopsy in July, her persistent cough made speaking difficult, everyday tasks left her drained and what had started as a small discomfort had become an overwhelming burden, according to MyLondon.
She was then told the heartbreaking news she had stage 4 lymphoma – a type of blood cancer. Evgenia revealed how her shocking diagnosis impacted her, saying: “I had a feeling before that I might have cancer. I think actually knowing the diagnosis is much better than not knowing it.
“Of course I was upset and I couldn’t believe the diagnosis for a bit, and I was like, ‘This cannot be happening to me. Why me?’ But in a way it was a relief: when you don’t know your diagnosis yet, you feel super frustrated because you know that you are getting worse and worse every day.”
Her late and serious diagnosis meant she was plunged into aggressive chemotherapy right away. Within months scans showed she was in remission. But just as she began to reclaim her life, a routine check in early 2024 revealed her cancer had returned.
This time, doctors opted for a cutting-edge combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, a newer, experimental approach designed to attack cancer cells more precisely. The treatment plan stretches over two years, and although she’s currently in remission again, the fear of relapse lingers.
Evgenia said: “I have to come to the hospital every three weeks now, and it’s not as difficult as the first round of treatment. The first time, I felt really unwell. I was completely exhausted, and even walking short distances was hard.
“I would say this treatment is much lighter in terms of physical impact, at least for now. I can still do a lot of my day-to-day activities, though I’m not as active as before the illness. But I’m really grateful for that.”
Chemotherapy and other therapies put her into menopause at just 26. She said: “It was very hard for me. I joke sometimes that I feel like an old soul because, physically and emotionally, I’ve experienced things that most people don’t until much later in life.”
The 27-year-old revealed she has also used therapy and turned to writing to help her mental health while she struggled physically. She said: “I really enjoy psychology and might become a psychologist one day. When I found out about the diagnosis, I knew that there is a lot that has to be done on the physical front.
“But the emotional aspect is very important for me. I tried to remain positive and believe in the best. And I think that really helped me throughout my journey.”
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.