A blood test saved my life young cancer patient says; “A simple blood test saved my life,” Nella Pignatelli tells the AZ24 News and wants others to get test if they feel unwell.
Nella, 24, was diagnose with leukemia 18 months ago after experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath while walking, which she attribute to Covid.
“I started a new job and was very try, but I connect everything that happened to me to what was happening in my life,” she says.
“When I had two nosebleeds that lasted an hour – it got to the p
Point where I passed out after three months of treating the symptoms.”
According to the charity Teenage Cancer Trust, 56% of 18-24 year olds don’t know the five signs and symptoms to watch out for. Half of the 2,000 people who took part in the survey also admitted that they would postpone seeing a GP for health problems. Many say it’s because they were too scare to realize what was wrong with them.
Other reasons included that it was too difficult to get an appointment and they were afraid of wasting the GP’s time.
You know your body;
A blood test saved my life young cancer patient says; Nella went to her GP for a blood test and then a bone marrow test which revealed that she had acute leukemia and needed immediate chemotherapy.
Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. Acute leukemia means that it progresses quickly and aggressively and usually needs immediate treatment.
“You know your body better than anyone else – I’m sorry I didn’t seek help sooner because it would have meant I could have been treat sooner,” she says. Lauren Aneesa Angris didn’t even know what to watch out for. it’s about diagnosing cancer.
The 25-year-old attributed the fatigue, as well as the usual coughs and colds, to a “busy life”.
“I initially thought I was overwork and need a break,” She tells the AZ24 News.
She worked as a make-up artist and was give free spray tans at work and thought that might be the reason for her breakouts.
“I stopped tanning and the rash got worse, starting on my legs and then literally all over my body – my eyelids and my face,” she says.
Lauren tried steroid treatment to clear up the rash, but it kept getting worse, so she went to the emergency room and asked for a blood test.
Don’t stress or worry
He was contact the next day and later diagnose with acute leukemia for which he had to undergo treatment, including a stem cell transplant.
Like Nella, Lauren wants to encourage people who are worry to make an appointment with their GP.
“Any health issues, any concerns – even a little mole that’s change colour, I’d say don’t stress or worry, just go and get it check out.”
Teenage Cancer Trust chief nurse Dr Louise Soanes said: “Cancer can be scary to think about, especially if you’re young, but it can happen to anyone at any age.
“Always listen to your body and if you have any concerns, never be afraid to ask for help – chances are it’s not cancer, but it’s always best to get it checked out.” Around 2,400 new cancers are diagnosed in young people every year in the UK, but this is less than 1% of all new cases.
These findings from the Teenage Cancer Trust come at a time when cancer diagnoses are on the rise, with the number of people diagnosed with cancer predicted to increase by a third by 2040.
A blood test saved my life young cancer patient says; According to an analysis by Cancer Research UK, if current trends continue, the number of cancer cases will rise from the current 384,000 cases a year to 506,000 by 2040.
It is believed that a large part of the increase can be attributed to the aging of the population, as older people are more likely to get cancer.
However, smoking and obesity are also contributing to the increase and are the two biggest preventable causes of cancer, according to the charity.
