A STUDENT who felt like she was constantly yawning was speechless when she was diagnosed with cancer.
Ikram Gacem noticed she was feeling more exhausted than normal while studying for her A Levels but put it down to exam stress.
MEN MediaIkram Gacem experienced severe fatigue before being diagnosed with cancer[/caption]
MEN MediaThe A Level student also noticed a small lump on the collarbone[/caption]
However, the then-18-year-old started sleeping for several hours when she got home from college so quickly clocked that her fatigue was more extreme than that of her peers.
She began to worry that her symptoms were a sign of something more sinister so visited her GP.
But these were brushed off as anaemia, easily treated with iron tablets or an iron-rich diet.
Neither did much to help Ikram, and a few weeks later she found a small lump on her right collarbone.
Doctors then delivered the devastating news that she had Hodgkin lymphoma – a relatively rare cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.
Ikram told MEN: “I started crying immediately. I was very scared.
“I don’t even think I knew what the real meaning was. I kind of just broke down. I had no words.”
To make matters worse, Ikram was diagnosed during the height of the pandemic so had to be told alone, with her mum in the next room.
She also had to inform her friends over FaceTime as they were studying exclusively online at that point.
Thankfully after treatment Ikram got the all-clear and she is currently in her third year at university.
But the law student, now 21, who was supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust, wants to urge other young people experiencing potential health problems to listen to their bodies and make an appointment with their doctor if something doesn’t feel right.
She said: “We just think we’re tired because of exams but if it’s unusual, check it out.
“I would wake up in the morning and I’d be yawning all the way down to college.
“As soon as I’d get in, I would go to sleep and then I’d wake up at maybe 8pm or 9pm and I’d have lots of work to do.
“All the teachers were pushing. It was a stressful moment for every student but I felt like I was always running behind.”
MEN MediaIkram was told she had Hodgkin lymphoma[/caption]
What is Hodgkin lymphoma?
HODGKIN lymphoma is a relatively uncommon form of cancer than develops in the lymphatic system – a network of vessels and glands spread throughout the body.
The most common symptom is a swelling lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin.
It can develop at any age but is most common in people aged 20 to 40, and those over 75.
Around 2,100 people are diagnosed in the UK every year.
While Hodgkin lymphoma is an aggressive cancer, it is often easily treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.