A young Glasgow cancer survivor is planning his legal career at the other side of the world thanks to life-saving treatment at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
On World Cancer Day today (February 4), Jamie Dods has thanked the staff at the Beatson for helping him beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and getting back to “living his life.”
Jamie, 25, was enjoying a gap year in Australia, following his first degree, when he was given the devastating diagnosis which saw him return home immediately.
Jamie said: “I had been feeling quite tired before I left on my travels but just put it down to working hard for my law degree. Once over there my symptoms worsened; I was sick, really tired and itching so I went to the doctor. I got my biopsy there and learned I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Luckily my GP was working away in the background and I was in the Beatson within three days of getting home.”
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Jamie then underwent a gruelling six-month programme of a chemotherapy combination called ABVD. ABVD is named after the chemo drugs which are used in the treatment.
During this time, Jamie visited the Beatson WOSCC every two weeks, accompanied every time by his dad, Paul.
That all had to change in the last few weeks of his treatment as the pandemic began to unfold.
Jamie said: “I was at the tail end of my treatment when COVID struck, so for the last few weeks dad couldn’t come in with me. But I wasn’t on my own, on my own, if you know what I mean. Everyone was in the same boat so we kept each other going. And the staff were amazing.
"The Clinical Nurse Specialist Kirsty, Lisa, the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Youth Support Co-ordinator and all the nurses were always around for a chat and a laugh. That might sound odd, but they made a bad situation all ok. They all knew we were without family and friends so they filled that gap.”
Jamie spent the next six months in isolation to keep safe from COVID, but in the September was able to start another law degree, which would help him fulfil his dream of working in Australia. During this time he was seen at the Beatson every two months, but this has now been scaled back to every six months as he is doing so well.
He said: “I had studied Scot’s Law originally but to work in the rest of the UK, the States or Australia I needed to get a Common Law degree and that’s what I have been doing ever since. I hope to graduate at the end of June and I can then plan what I am doing with the rest of my life. They have given me that chance.
“I’m now in excellent health, in remission and all my bloods are clear. I was a shell of myself going through treatment but am now ready to get on with the rest of my life.
“The Beatson staff are heroes – supermen and superwomen. They saved my life. It wasn’t easy but they made it as much ‘fun’ as it could be for me. They taught me there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I can’t wait to get on with the rest of my life now.”
Clinical Nurse Specialist for Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer Kirsty Laing is based at the Beatson. She said: “The impact of COVID-19 has had a profound impact on so many of our young people which has often led to social isolation from their family and peers at a time in their life when they need that support the most.
“As Jamie described, due to the restrictions around COVID 19 there were times where he had to attend the Beatson for treatment alone. It's lovely to hear that in the absence of Jamie's family he felt that we were able to provide such essential support to him. It has been a pleasure supporting Jamie throughout the duration of his treatment, recovery and beyond.”
