‘I never thought that I was facing cancer – in my head I was far too young for that’
Izzy is now trying to raise awareness of cancer in young people(Image: CCLG)
A Leicestershire woman who felt low on energy and had bruises that wouldn’t heal was shocked to discover she had cancer.
Izzy Darnes was diagnosed with leukaemia when she was 21 – but believed she couldn’t have cancer due to her young age.
However, last June, the Narborough woman was given the news she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) – just a week after feeling unwell and lethargic. She had initially brushed off the symptoms as being something else altogether.
She said: “I had no energy to do anything, which wasn’t like me. I also had these massive, dark bruises that wouldn’t heal, and a petechiae rash (a cluster of small pinpoint red, purple or brown spots that appear on your skin), both of which I originally put down to something else.
“I initially thought the rash was down to hay fever, and I assumed the bruises were from being clumsy when moving things around when decorating my bedroom.”
After first trying unsuccessfully to get a GP appointment on the Friday before her diagnosis, her condition worsened over the weekend. Trying again on the Monday, she was this time able to get one, where she was promptly sent on to the GP Assessment Unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary for further checks, having developed a high temperature.
“Even at this point, I never thought that what I was facing was cancer. In my head, I was far too young for that,” she continued.
After several tests, Izzy was eventually diagnosed with ALL. She soon began months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with treatment due to finish this April.
Izzy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)(Image: CCLG)
The impact of her cancer and its treatment on Izzy have been significant, with her suffering several complications and side effects, including a serious stomach infection, being left with medical PTSD from her experiences, and ongoing mobility issues which left her unable to walk for a month.
She said: “I was really poorly and I couldn’t walk. I had to be carried up the stairs because my legs didn’t work. I had to have a wheelchair, and I’ve got a crutch as my legs aren’t quite there yet, because I couldn’t use them for a month.”
The complications and treatment have also had an impact on her mental health, with Izzy revealing: “Having my independence taken from me really hurt – one minute life was completely normal, then the next I’m lying in hospital unable to move, relying on other people for everything.”
Since her diagnosis, Izzy has been supported by CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, with the charity’s expert information resources helping her to make sense of her cancer and its treatment.
She said: “I read a lot of the information on CCLG’s website. It’s proper information, that’s medically trusted, not like some of the stuff you can read on Google. You can trust what you’re reading is right. It’s really helped.”
Now, Izzy is determined to help other young people by fundraising for CCLG through a special named fund she set up at the charity called Izzy’s Legacy, which will help to support research into ALL.
Having raised more than £3,700 already, she said her fundraising has helped to give her a “purpose” at a time when she has not been able to work at her job in local governance. She has run raffles, sold pin badges, and provided personalised Christmas baubles for customers at her mum’s salon in exchange for donations.
Izzy said: “I think I needed something to do because I couldn’t work. I get along with all my colleagues and have missed the buzz of the office.”
“I’ve missed getting up in the morning and having a purpose. So, having Izzy’s Legacy, it’s something for me to do. I can pick it up and put it down, but it’s something that’s mine. It’s my thing, and no one can take it from me.”
The fundraising has also given Izzy a platform to raise awareness of cancer in young people, something she is passionate about because she says it isn’t talked about enough. She said: “I’ve made it my mission to share my story as people need to be aware of cancer in young people.”
“If just one person went to the doctors because they have heard my story, and it means they can catch their cancer early and get diagnosed quicker, instead of leaving it for three months where it could become more aggressive and harder to treat, then it’s worth it.”
Reflecting on her life-changing diagnosis, Izzy said it has given her a new perspective on life and has made her a better person. She said: “I think having cancer makes you think of life as that bit more precious, and it probably makes you more compassionate toward people, too.”
To support or find out more about the 22-year-old’s fundraiser, visit the special made funds website and search for Izzy’s Legacy.