Teen who shed three stone in just six months actually had rare cancer
Gym-loving teenager who was proud to have lost three stone in just six months after starting a new fitness regime is shocked to discover she actually had a rare blood cancer
- Molly Parkinson, of Morecambe, was inspired to hit the gym in January this year
- After just six months, the 19-year-old went from a size 14 to a slender eight
- But noticed a concerned Molly had begun suffering from mysterious chest pains
- She was then diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – a rare form of blood cancer
An athletic teenager who shed three stone in just six months after starting a new fitness regime was shocked to discover she actually had rare cancer.
Molly Parkinson, 19, from Morecambe, Lancashire, was inspired to hit the gym and adopt a healthier lifestyle in January this year.
And after just six months, the project manager at British Aerospace had gone from a size 14 to a svelte eight – but noticed she had begun suffering from mysterious chest pains.
In June, Molly rushed to the doctors when she had a bad feeling about a lump she’d discovered on her neck and was quickly diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – a rare form of blood cancer.
The teenager – who is currently undergoing chemotherapy to treat the stage two cancer – is speaking out to help Teenage Cancer Trust and even decided to tackle the Three Peak Challenge last weekend to raise funds for the charity.
An athletic teenager who shed three stone in just six months after starting a new fitness regime was shocked to discover she actually had rare cancer. Pictured left to right: Molly Parkinson before and after her weight loss
Molly Parkinson (pictured), 19, from Morecambe, Lancashire, was inspired to hit the gym and adopt a healthier lifestyle in January this year
And after just six months, the project manager at British Aerospace (pictured after her weight loss) had gone from a size 14 to a svelte eight
Molly said: ‘I was so shocked and it didn’t feel real because when you think about cancer you think about illness and I never felt ill and to this day I don’t feel ill.
‘I was going out on my bike every day and still going to the gym so it was a massive shock. It was surreal.
She added: ‘I don’t know if it would have been caught sooner if I hadn’t been going to the gym because I think the exercise might have been provoking the pain. It would have been easy to ignore it though.’
But the concerned teenager (seen after her weight loss) noticed she had begun suffering from mysterious chest pains
In June, Molly (pictured) rushed to the doctors when she had a bad feeling about a lump she’d discovered on her neck and was quickly diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – a rare form of blood cancer
The teenager (seen before her weight loss) is currently undergoing chemotherapy to treat the rare blood cancer
Molly (pictured recently with her boyfriend Nathan) is speaking out to help Teenage Cancer Trust and even decided to tackle the Three Peak Challenge last weekend to raise funds for the charity
In January this year, Molly started hitting the gym every night, attending spin classes and had also overhauled her diet.
WHAT IS HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA?
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in the white blood cells.
It affects around 1,950 people each year in the UK.
A common early symptom is having a painless swelling in the armpits, neck and groin.
Some people also experience heavy night sweating, extreme weight loss, itching, shortness of breath and coughing.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is most common between the ages of 20 and 24, and 75 and 79.
It has been linked to people with lowered immunity, a family history of the condition, smokers and those who are overweight.
Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, steroids and stem cell or bone marrow transplants.
Source: Cancer Research UK
But after developing a pain in her chest which wouldn’t go away – which she first thought was a pulled muscle – Molly visited her GP.
Doctors also dismissed the pains for a pulled muscle but after visiting a second time to investigate a lump on her neck, she was immediately sent for a blood test.
Medics discovered a 13cm lump on her chest and Molly was shocked to learn that the mass was cancerous.
Molly said: ‘I was going to the gym every night and I became really fit and lost a lot of weight.
‘I know three stone in six months sounds like a lot but I was going to spin classes every night so I think it was a mixture of the disease and the working out.
‘I kept having chest pains and didn’t know what it was. I thought I’d pulled a muscle because of all the exercise.
‘When I found the lump, all my family and friends were saying there was nothing to worry about because I’m so young and trying to reassure me but I had a feeling.
She continued: ‘I think because I’m so young, the doctors weren’t looking for cancer. The chances of getting it at my age are slim but it is also the most common one for people between 18 to 25 but it was a massive shock.’
Molly is speaking out to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and decided to tackle the Three Peak Challenge in the middle of chemotherapy.
Molly took on the challenge – where people are tasked with climbing Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in England and Ben Nevis in Scotland – last weekend before she undergoes another 12 rounds of chemo and has so far raised £7,754 for the charity.
Molly (pictured taking part in the Three Peak Challenge) said: ‘I was so shocked and it didn’t feel real because when you think about cancer you think about illness and I never felt ill and to this day I don’t feel ill’
In January this year, Molly (pictured with a friend doing the Three Peak Challenge) started hitting the gym every night, attending spin classes and had also overhauled her diet
But after developing a pain in her chest which wouldn’t go away – which she first thought was a pulled muscle – Molly (pictured with boyfriend Nathan) visited her GP
Doctors also dismissed the pains for a pulled muscle but after visiting a second time to investigate a lump on her neck, she was immediately sent for a blood test. Medics discovered a 13cm lump on her chest and Molly (pictured doing the Three Peak Challenge with friends) was shocked to learn that the mass was cancerous
She said: ‘It was challenging in the middle of chemotherapy. It’s having a positive mindset that gets me through it. If I was down and in bed I’d probably feel ill but being positive makes me feel better.
‘It’s amazing how generous people are being. I wanted to do something for Teenage Cancer Trust because you can ignore these things until it’s happening to you. I’m lucky to have friends and family to support me.
‘I had 26 people doing the walk with me so people who don’t have support like that must really struggle and that’s where the charity comes in. It must be awful to go through it on your own with less support.’
Molly (seen with friends) took on the challenge – where people are tasked with climbing Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in England and Ben Nevis in Scotland – last weekend before she undergoes another 12 rounds of chemo and has so far raised £7,754 for the charity
Molly (pictured with Mother Jackie and brother Sam) said: ‘It was challenging in the middle of chemotherapy. It’s having a positive mindset that gets me through it’
‘It’s amazing how generous people are being. I wanted to do something for Teenage Cancer Trust because you can ignore these things until it’s happening to you,’ Molly, seen recently, added
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