Shôn’s story

On the first day of my second year at university, I went to a lecture in the morning just like any other student.

A few hours later, I was in hospital finding out I had lymphoma.

I was 19 years old.

When I look back, there had been signs that something wasn’t right. I was exhausted all the time, I had night sweats and I’d lost weight. But I just put it down to other things.

Then I found a lump in my neck.

Living with uncertainty

I went through a long period of scans, appointments and biopsies.

Doctors knew it was lymphoma, but they couldn’t immediately tell me exactly what type. It took around 70 days before I finally received a clear diagnosis.

Those weeks felt incredibly uncertain. My family and I were trying to make sense of something we knew very little about, while waiting for answers that felt like they never came quickly enough.

That’s when I met Rachel, a Young Lives vs Cancer Specialist Social Worker.

“She understood this world when none of us did”

Rachel got in touch shortly after one of my first hospital appointments. That first conversation brought a huge sense of comfort.

Rachel already knew the hospital team I’d be working with, what support was available and where we could turn for help. She talked me through financial support that might be available to my family and showed me where I could access mental health support too.

At a time when everything felt unfamiliar and overwhelming, that meant a lot.

When treatment takes over your life

Once treatment started, having someone who understood what I was going through became even more important.

Before one of my biopsies, I needed surgery under general anaesthetic. I was really anxious about it, and my parents were worried too.

Rachel travelled to the hospital to be there with us while I waited on the ward.

To know she was there made a difficult day feel much more manageable.

Missing out on normal life

For a while, I tried to continue with university. Like many young people with cancer, I wanted to hold on to as much normality as possible.

One evening, my friends planned a night out close to the hospital. They were only a couple of minutes away, so I asked the nurses if I could leave for half an hour to see them then come straight back.

They couldn’t let me go.

It might sound like a small thing, but that was one of the moments when the reality of cancer really hit me.

Suddenly, I couldn’t go out when I wanted. I couldn’t pop to the shops. I couldn’t spend time with friends whenever I felt like it.

I watched other people carrying on with their lives while mine felt like it had been put on hold.

The people around me cared deeply, but they didn’t always know what to say or how to help.

To be honest, neither did I. Rachel did. She listened, she understood, and she was there.

Looking ahead

In March, I finally received the all-clear.

At my most recent check-up, the team told me I was progressing well, and I’m looking forward to getting back to my studies to continue my Law degree.

Cancer taught me how much it means when someone simply checks in, finds a few words to say, or lets you know they’re there.

That’s exactly what Rachel did for me.

And thanks to Young Lives vs Cancer supporters, more young people facing cancer can have someone there for them too.

Read Rachel’s tips for five simple things to say when someone is going through a difficult time.