An Irish mum is fighting stage 4 cancer after developing symptoms at 16 weeks pregnant.
Saoirse Macfarlane developed a number of blood cancer symptoms, which were put down to a change in her body's hormones.
The 26-year-old first noticed swollen lymph nodes in her neck, night sweats which would leave her saturated, and an itch which took over her body.
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It became so bad, the the Belfast woman’s skin would break and bleed with the chronic itching.
It was only at Saorise’s four week post-natal review with a health visitor, that she says she felt listened to, after having flagged symptoms for months.
Speaking to Belfast Live, she explained how she felt "completely numb" after being told she had stage 4 cancer, just weeks after welcoming a baby son into the world.
"I was 16 weeks pregnant when I first went to my doctor's surgery to complain about my symptoms.
"I had two lymph nodes that I was worried about on my neck, so I went to the doctor and they sent me off with Amoxicillin and said it could be an infection.
“A few weeks later, I went back because I had this excessive itch, as well as more lymph nodes which had grown. I felt palmed off with tablets. I would have itched my skin until it bled, it was that bad.
"Then I began to Google my symptoms and results were showing Hodgkins Lymphoma, so I always had that in the back of my mind. The doctors were putting symptoms down to pregnancy related hormones.
“I was always fatigued, and I would have slept for 16 hours if I could, as well as having really severe night sweats. There were nights that my top would be saturated in sweat, you could have wrung out my clothes.
"With these symptoms, I just kept going back to the doctors. One doctor said they would send me for a referral for a biopsy on one of the lymph nodes which had grown on my neck.
"There was nothing else showing up on my bloods, but you can't diagnose Hodgkins Lymphoma through bloods, but my haemoglobin was extremely low."
After her son Arlo was born, Saoirse's symptoms continued and was red flagged to hospital by a health visitor, who had noticed the lumps in her neck.
Straight away, the health visitor knew that these symptoms were not normal, and mirrored those of Hodgkins Lymphoma signs.
"She had just came to me as if she was a miracle," the mum-of-two explained.
"She was sitting at the other side of the room and asked me what the lumps were on my neck. I had lost a lot of weight too, as soon as I had my son. I explained this to her, and she said it looked like something further, and she red flagged me straight away.
"On June 24 this year, I was told I had stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma. It was a huge shock and I was numb, numb for quite a while and didn't want to believe it. I don't even think I cried for a while.
"Until the past few weeks, I think it has only hit me, that I have cancer."
Before her own diagnosis, Saoirse was not familiar with Hodgkins Lymphoma, and now wants to raise awareness about the disease and its symptoms, as she goes through chemotherapy treatment.
Taking to Instagram to highlight symptoms she had, and the importance of "trusting your gut", she has been speaking with other women who have been experiencing some of the same health issues.
She added: "Since I have started speaking out, there has been a big response and some girls have actually messaged me to say that they are experiencing symptoms similar to mine.
“I just want to make these symptoms known, so that if anyone feels like something isn't right, they should really push for investigations and medical attention. Keep going, and fighting.
"I knew my own body, and I knew something wasn't right. I am now in the middle of treatment and this Thursday, will be my seventh treatment, out of twelve treatments.
"There'll be six cycles of chemotherapy, which is tough. I have two young children, and it is hard, but I have a lot of help from my family. Everybody is doing what they can.
"I am the kind of person, who doesn't like asking for help, and I have been trying not to turn away all the help. I was to be normal, and feel normal too.
"My family and friends have been amazing, and I can't thank them enough for everything they have done. The feedback I have had since I opened up on Instagram has been amazing too.
"My mummy, my sisters, my partner, they have all been amazing. People have sent me the kindest messages and prayers for me. I will forever be grateful. If I can help one person by speaking out, then that is what I want to do."
For more information on Hodgkins Lymphoma, please visit Cancer Research UK here .
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