A TEENAGER who went through months of chemotherapy and survived cancer is urging young people to contact their GP with any symptom concerns after she was originally misdiagnosed.

Nicole Lowther had to visit the doctor more than five times before getting diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s lymphoma at just 17 years old.

She was initially misdiagnosed with anaemia and tonsillitis, despite having several of the most common cancer symptoms.

Nicole was taken to the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at The Beatson in Glasgow, where she had six months of chemotherapy.

After finishing treatment, life started to return to normal, but she was then struck another blow as she was asked to shield due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 19-year-old is now sharing her story through Teenage Cancer Trust’s #BestToCheck campaign which calls on doctors to make referrals at the earliest opportunity, even when they have lower levels of suspicion.

The campaign is also urging young people to contact their GP if they have any concerns.

Nicole, from Queenzieburn, said: “I was so tired that I was falling asleep in class and they initially treated me for anaemia. I had a nosebleed which just wouldn’t stop and also noticed that I had a lump in my neck.

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“I persevered with going to the doctors because I was getting so poorly, and I was due to travel to Rwanda to volunteer. Therefore, one of the GPs who I hadn’t previously seen put a huge push on investigating my case. I am forever grateful to her for listening to me.

“I think it is so important for people to go to the doctors no matter how small or unimportant you think your symptoms are. The most important thing is to persevere. You know your body best, never give up, go see someone else and in the end, someone will listen to you.”

Through its expert nurses, support teams and hospital units, Teenage Cancer Trust puts teenagers and young adults in the best possible place physically, mentally and emotionally.

Dr Louise Soanes, director of services at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “Cancer is thankfully rare in 13 to 24-year-olds, accounting for just 1% of all cancer diagnosis. However, because cancer is less common in young people, they often have to visit their doctor up to three times before they are referred to a specialist.

“Latest research suggests that cancer symptoms can vary from person to person, ranging from persistent pain and lumps and bumps to unexplained bruising. Whilst not all symptoms mean someone has cancer, diagnosing cancer early can have a significant impact on a young person’s life so it is best to check and make a referral sooner rather than later.”

The charity is urging people to look out for lumps, bumps or swellings, unexplained tiredness, mole changes, persistent pain or significant weight change.

For more information visit teenagecancertrust.org/signs.