{"id":239188,"date":"2025-11-02T07:23:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T07:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/239188\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T07:23:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T07:23:16","slug":"i-was-diagnosed-with-glandular-fever-at-17-but-i-actually-had-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/239188\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I was diagnosed with glandular fever at 17 but I actually had cancer’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Katie Baber from Merthyr Tydfil ‘didn\u2019t have any of the typical symptoms’ but her treatment journey provided hope<\/p>\n

16:44, 01 Nov 2025Updated 16:50, 01 Nov 2025<\/p>\n

\"AKatie Baber(Image: Katie Baber \/ Stand Up To Cancer)<\/p>\n

A young woman was misdiagnosed with glandular fever before discovering she had cancer. Katie Baber, 22, is now cancer-free and thriving as she trains to become a primary school<\/a> teacher \u2013 a lifelong ambition she held onto throughout her cancer journey. Katie, from Merthyr Tydfil, first noticed something was wrong in February 2020, when she developed swollen glands. Her GP initially diagnosed her with glandular fever and prescribed pain killers. But as her condition worsened, Katie returned to A&E in August with a severely swollen neck.<\/p>\n

Further tests, including a biopsy, revealed Katie had Hodgkin lymphoma \u2013 a cancer that starts in the lymphatic symptom. Due to Covid-19<\/a> restrictions, Katie received the devastating diagnosis over the phone. Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a huge shock,\u201d said Katie. \u201cApart from a swollen neck I didn\u2019t have any of the typical symptoms like night sweats or itchy skin. I was keen to start treatment and tried to just get on with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AKatie is thriving now but had some scary complications during her treatment(Image: Supplied by Cancer Research UK)<\/p>\n

Katie was diagnosed with stage 2A lymphoma and began chemotherapy on October 20. Because of the pandemic, she had to undergo treatment alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing on my own during treatment was incredibly tough,” she said. “My mam and uncle waited in the concourse of Heath Hospital while I underwent procedures, unable to be with me. The Teenage Cancer Trust unit made all the difference \u2014 the nurses were amazing and I formed close bonds with them. I am deeply grateful for the incredible care I received.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving cancer during Covid was difficult because I had to be so careful about infections. But in a strange way, it helped – no one else could go out either, so I didn\u2019t feel like I was missing out.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cThe hardest part for me was losing my hair. I didn\u2019t even want my mam to see me without a scarf or wig.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AKatie with boyfriend Sam(Image: Supplied by Cancer Research UK)<\/p>\n

Her treatment wasn\u2019t without complications. In November, Katie developed sepsis, but thankfully recovered and completed her chemotherapy just a week before her 18th birthday in January 2021.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI could only celebrate with my mam on my actual birthday, and had to see friends and family through the living room window due to the infection risk. I had celebrations with my family later on when Covid restrictions lifted, which was lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Katie is proudly supporting Stand Up To Cancer in Wales, knowing first-hand how vital research is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so grateful for the treatment I received. Without research, I wouldn\u2019t be here today – that\u2019s why I\u2019m supporting the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katie is now living life to the full. She started her first year at Cardiff<\/a> Metropolitan University in September, training to become a primary school teacher, and enjoys going on holidays with her boyfriend, Sam.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s taken me until this year to feel physically and emotionally ready to start my degree. I\u2019ve always wanted to be a teacher, and I\u2019m loving it so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AKatie said she didn’t have all the usual symptoms associated with her type of cancer(Image: Supplied by Cancer Research UK)<\/p>\n

She\u2019s also passionate about raising awareness of cancer in young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea what lymphoma was before I was diagnosed. Young people get cancer too – it\u2019s not just an older person\u2019s disease. If something doesn\u2019t feel right, please get it checked.\u201d<\/p>\n

‘Behind every alarming statistic is someone like me’<\/p>\n

Stand Up To Cancer takes developments from the lab and accelerates them into new tests and treatments.<\/p>\n

In Wales, around 20,200 people are diagnosed with cancer every year and, by 2040, it\u2019s projected one person in the UK will be diagnosed with the disease every two minutes. In the 1970s, it was every four minutes.<\/p>\n

Katie said: \u201cBehind every alarming statistic is someone like me. That\u2019s why I\u2019m taking a stand. Being diagnosed with cancer was a huge shock. But, I owe everything to developments in research and better treatments. They\u2019ve given me the greatest gift of all – a future full of special moments with my loved ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cCancer can affect anyone\u2019s life, at any time, so we really have no choice other than to unite against it and help support the scientists to keep making new discoveries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grateful for the treatment she received, now she\u2019s calling on people across Wales to flex their fundraising muscles to help power more progress.<\/p>\n

Gym goers and sofa surfers alike are being urged to take on Stand Up To Cancer\u2019s Sweat Every Day in November Challenge.<\/p>\n

From burpees, squats and lunges to curls, press-ups and sprints \u2013 anything goes. All people need to do is complete 30 minutes of exercise every day during the month. Supporters can also choose to donate or raise money in their own way with a free fundraising pack available online.<\/p>\n

Katie added: \u201cSuccess stories like mine show that there is hope. Every action, big or small, could make a difference in beating this devastating disease. That\u2019s why now is the time for everyone across Wales to Stand Up To Cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AKatie is encouraging others to get involved with Stand Up To Cancer(Image: Supplied by Cancer Research UK)<\/p>\n

Since its launch in the UK in 2012, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than \u00a3113m, funding 73 clinical trials and research projects involving more than 13,000 cancer patients.<\/p>\n

Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Wales, Ruth Amies, said: \u201cThanks to our supporters, our scientists are trailblazing new and better ways to help more people like Katie survive.<\/p>\n

“From using AI to optimise radiotherapy treatment for rectal cancer to creating lollipops that could detect mouth cancer, we\u2019re at the cutting edge of research. But we must go further and faster.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. All of us can help beat it. That\u2019s why we\u2019re asking everyone to Stand Up To Cancer, whether they donate, fundraise, or take on our \u2018Sweat Every Day in November Challenge\u2019.<\/p>\n

“If thousands of us stand together, we\u2019ll speed up the progress of vital research \u2013 meaning more people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Katie Baber from Merthyr Tydfil ‘didn\u2019t have any of the typical symptoms’ but her treatment journey provided hope…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":239189,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[59,102,67342,2207,2205,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-239188","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-gb","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-merthyr-tydfil","11":"tag-people","12":"tag-real-life","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239188"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239188\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/239189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}