i was diagnosed with stage 2a HL in january 2023, and currently into my 3rd cycle of treatment. when i was first told i had cancer it really didn’t feel real. i thought it was a mistake as you just never think it can be you, especially at 17 with no underlying health conditions, doesn’t smoke, rarely drink unless an occasion, no sun beds BASICALLY no reason to randomly get cancer at all. thought i was a pretty decent teenager. but i noticed i couldn’t help but feel so let down with my body, why me? i felt so unlucky knowing what other individuals my age do and they don’t have cancer, so why do i?. i think it’s anger that many young people feel at first because we can be naive, feeling almost invincible because we are supposed to be young and healthy. but i’ve learnt that not everyone is always lucky. and that life doesn’t always play out how it should of done. i’ve learnt so much in the past couple of months, and there’s a part of me that is glad i’ve had this eye opening experience (obviously i wish i didn’t get cancer) but i see life through a different perspective. i appreciate little things more than ever, even just hearing the birds outside. i was unhappy with what i was doing in sixth form and getting so worked up about it all, but i’ve realized life isn’t just ‘short’ anymore, life is actually very long with so much to do and discover, and since my diagnosis i've realized staying in an environment that makes me unhappy isn’t something i need to do anymore because i’ve got all the time in the world to change things up and do what i enjoy. i’m changing my whole path, which if it wasn’t for this huge life changing thing, i wouldn’t of done that. i would of just spent years in doing subjects i don’t even like. i’m going to make sure when i’m invited out, even if i can’t be bothered to do anything. i will just do it because why not? it’s memories, it’s fun and there’s no point wasting days away anymore. anything can happen. losing my hair was extremely difficult, i don’t wish it upon anyone. but i’ve found other qualities in myself that i’ve begun to just appreciate. my hair didn’t define me as a person. my weight has changed since january, up and down as steroids and chemotherapy would do. but yet again, why be harsh on myself? when i’m 80 years old I'm sure i’ll regret feeling bad about being on treatment gaining weight which is out of my control. so why get so upset now?
basically what i’m trying to say is :) everything for me is feeling like it happened for a reason, i have to say i’m not particularly over the moon happy with the cancer thing buttt, something tells me i needed an experience that makes me embrace life more and not to worry over the little things.
this is my first time ever doing a forum so apologies for the teenage talk, i tried very hard with all the punctuation;)
Hi Gmay05 and a warm welcome to this corner of the Community although I am always sorry to see folks joining us.
I am Mike and I help out around our various Lymphoma groups. I don’t have Hodgkin's Lymphoma but my journey with my rare, incurable but treatable type of Low Grade NHL started back in 1999 at 43..... I turned 67 last November and I am doing well and living a great life...... so keep looking forward to the future.
You have done amazing to get your head in a place to get through your treatment to this point, keep focusing on the greater good in all this. you will get there. Over the years supporting on here and on another Lymphoma specific platform and I have talked with lots of folks who were your age at diagnosis/treatment and are now years out from treatment, living a great life and a good number are now parents and this was without having any fertility treatment to freeze cells/sperm for the future.
I also volunteer with Lymphoma Action. Lymphoma Action is the only UK Lymphoma Specific Charity who have lots of good reliable information, videos etc and they also run various support platforms and run monthly online support groups with one specifically for Young Adults. The lower age range for the group is 18 years so once you are 'close' to turning 18 do follow THIS LINK and consider joining the group...... I highly recommend these groups as there is nothing better than talking with other who have walked the journey.
You may have already had contact with the Teenage Cancer Trust...... they have some great support platforms.
This group is always around to help more or just to chat
thank you so much pete x
i wondered why my nose kept running 
