A STUDENT died aged 19 after her “sports injury” turned out to be cancer.
Lulu Blundell felt a pain in her shoulder following rugby training and was later given a terminal diagnosis.
Lulu Blundell died aged 19 after being diagnosed with Ewing sarcomaTeenage Cancer Trust
Teenage Cancer TrustShe endured months of chemotherapy for the rare form of cancer[/caption]
In 2019, she was told she had Ewing sarcoma – a rare form of cancer that affects the bones or the tissue around bones.
Lulu, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, endured months of gruelling chemotherapy and, after having her leg amputated, was finally told she was cancer free.
But while studying at Newcastle University, she noticed an ache in her shoulder.
It was initially blamed on exercise, but a CT scan then revealed she had new tumours in her shoulder, ribs and chest and she learned she had just months to live.
Determined not to let her condition get in the way, Lulu spent the following months travelling with friends and family.
She even went to a musical festival and completed a 5km charity run, raising £21,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Lulu, who played rugby for the Sheffield RUFC and Wakefield Trinity, then passed away on January 1, 2023, aged 19.
In an emotional film released following her death, the teen said: “I found out my cancer has come back in four spots, and I have made the decision not to go through chemo.
“[I’d] rather be on palliative care and keep all my pain under control until we no longer can.
“Despite being told I have relapsed, and now being terminally ill I’ve laughed and loved harder than I ever have in my life the past few months.”
Her mum Carolyn Blundell, added: “There was a lot more to Lulu than her cancer.
“She was a normal teenager, not a geeky goody two shoes.
“She had a lust for life, for people, and a spontaneity that was infectious – if she wanted to do something, she did it.
“Lulu’s specialists said that further chemo could buy her a little bit more time but that’s not what she wanted – she said she didn’t want to spend any of the time that she had left in a hospital bed.
“During her journey she showed positivity, courage, determination and fierce independence and never ever allowed it to stop her making the most of every moment.
“She smiled and she lit up a room, she laughed and lived and loved very hard and whilst she should have stayed with us longer, we are grateful for every moment.”
Teenage Cancer TrustAfter being told she had months to live, the teenager travelled with friends and family[/caption]
Teenage Cancer TrustLulu’s mum described her as having a ‘lust for life’[/caption]
What is Ewing sarcoma and what are the signs?
EWING sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that affects the bones or the tissue around bones.
It is most common in children and young people, but it is also seen in adults.
Symptoms of the disease include:
Bone pain – this may get worse over time and may be worse at night
A tender lump or swelling
A high temperature that does not go away
Feeling tired all the time
Unintentional weight loss
The legs, pelvis, arms, ribs and spine are the main body parts affected.
Treatment for Ewing sarcoma often involves a combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.
It can sometimes be cured, but the outlook is less positive once the cancer has spread.
Around 6 out of 10 people with Ewing sarcoma live at least five years after being diagnosed.
Source: NHS