After she couldn't stop itching, a 20-year-old woman was diagnosed with cancer

After experiencing severe itching and a lump, a woman was diagnosed with cancer and has spoken out to raise awareness about her disease

Updated on March 04, 2022 10:55 AM by Andrew Koschiev

At first, it was misunderstood as an allergic reaction.

April Grierson, a 20-year-old Liverpool resident, first noticed something was amiss when her skin began itching in June 2021, which she mistook for an allergic response.

On the edge of worsening symptoms, Grierson consulted a doctor.

When her symptoms persisted, she went to the doctor, who suspected she had scabies, a skin disorder.

Diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma stage 2

Grierson, on the other hand, had noticed a tumor on her neck by October. She has diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma the next month after being referred to a specialist.

What is Hodgkin lymphoma?

Hodgkin lymphoma is a malignancy that affects the lymphatic system, which is part of the immunological system of the body. While it can affect persons of any age, it is most common in adults between the ages of 20 and 40, as well as those over 55.

Armpits, or groin as a symptom

Mayo Clinic lists swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin as a symptom, as well as lethargy, fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, severe itching, and heightened sensitivity to alcohol.

Grierson revealed her cancer diagnosis.

Grierson told the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom that she had suspected cancer before it was diagnosed. "It turns out I was right, and I'm so grateful I kept going to the physicians," she added, adding that her skin "itched day and night from my head to my feet."

She underwent an egg retrieval operation.

According to the publication, Grierson's cancer has migrated from a lymph node in her neck to her chest and windpipe. After doctors performed an egg retrieval operation to see if the treatment would impair her fertility, she was given the go-ahead to start chemotherapy to battle the malignancy.

The first round of chemotherapy happened at the beginning of February

At the beginning of February, the make-up artist began her first round of chemotherapy.

Grierson says she wants to raise awareness of what she has been through so far

"I'm raising awareness for what I'm going through because I want others to know that they are the experts on their own bodies," she told the Daily Mail, adding that she would be "happy" if her experience inspired people to seek medical care if they needed it.

On her Instagram Post

"This post is obviously not for attention," she wrote in an Instagram post in January, "but to bring awareness that it can happen to anyone at any age and it is not something to be ashamed of."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CX2A84Cs58z/

About “April’s Hair Contribution”

Grierson decided to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that converts hair into wigs and distributes them to young girls who have lost their hair, ahead of her treatment. She also started an "April's Hair Contribution" JustGiving donation drive for the charity, which had raised more than $1,100 as of Friday morning.