A Nottingham student who found out she had a 'quite deadly' form of cancer in her last year of university has completed her dissertation from her hospital bed. Katie Mortimer has spoken over the 'shock' after being diagnosed in February last year.
The 23-year-old was completing her joint honours course in Communications, Society and Linguistics at Nottingham Trent University's Clifton campus when her life turned upside down. "It was crazy", she told Nottinghamshire Live.
She added: "I literally felt like I was hit by a bus for about a few weeks. It was within ten days that I started feeling ill and then I got diagnosed.
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"I just thought I had the flu to be honest. I am a bit of a hypochondriac, so I would normally assume the worst, but for some reason I just thought I had a really bad case of flu - so I literally did not think of anything."
It was not until February 22 last year, when Ms Mortimer went in for a blood test, to be told that she actually had Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). According to the NHS, it is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults - and this type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated. The most common types in young people are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia, according to Teenage Cancer Trust.
Common symptoms can include feeling really tired all the time, feeling dizzy, headaches, breathlessness, pale skin, frequent infections and bruising easily. Leukaemia is usually diagnosed with a blood test, followed by a bone marrow test
"This type of cancer I had, it is really quickly progressing", Ms Mortimer, who is originally from Cambridgeshire, added. "So as soon as they notice it you have to start treatment straight away because it is quite deadly.
"I was just very shocked. I think the first thing that I did was go and watch a lecture I needed to catch up on because I did not really know what to do.
"Also Nottingham is my university city. My parents were not here. I just sort of thought to myself, 'I am in the right place'.
"I do not think I have mentally dealt with it yet. It is a bit of a strange phenomenon."
Ms Mortimer said she has spent six months at Nottingham City Hospital undergoing chemotherapy - and completed her dissertation from the hospital bed. "My treatment was spending six weeks in hospital isolated in a room, and then you have 10 days out of the hospital. Then you come back for the second round.
"Luckily I only needed four courses of treatment. I have done my assignments in hospital and I literally have a picture of my dissertation in my hospital bed.
"I definitely tried to avoid thinking I am going to die. The thing is - everyone says they cannot believe I did it, but it was such a welcome distraction.
"I have been quite ill from chemo. The last thing I wanted to do was sit and sort of wallow in my own self-pity.
"So it was really therapeutic to focus on my dissertation - which I know sounds absolutely bonkers. But genuinely it was really helpful.
"It [cancer] probably sounds concerning, but from those I have met who have also been through cancer, they all have that nonchalance about it because you cannot just let it hinder you. You have to move on with it.
"Apart from having survivor's guilt, I am really proud of it. So I feel like I can talk about it in a positive way."
Ms Mortimer has been in remission since October 4 last year, a day after her birthday. And as well as being a cancer survivor, she successfully submitted all her assessments and graduated with a 2:1 (Upper Second-Class Honours).
"I could not attend my graduation, but they gave me a speech which was really lovely", she recalled. She has chosen to continue her studies at Nottingham Trent University, and is now doing a masters in Magazine Journalism.
Ms Mortimer said she is grateful to Teenage Cancer Trust, who offered her support throughout the treatment. She is now a representative for the charity, and on Wednesday, March 22, she will be touring the House of Commons alongside Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South, to share her experience as a young person whose battled cancer.
She will be meeting with representatives from up to 49 other cancer charities as part of the One Cancer Voice campaign, which calls for action to improve the experience and outcomes of people with cancer. After meeting with Lilian, Ms Mortimer and several others will witness the petition handover at 10 Downing Street.
Speaking about the petition, she added: "The Teenage Cancer Trust has helped me massively. My story explains why the petition is so important to me. This is a call for the government to give more focus to cancer."
According to NHS, one in two people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
Rossanna Trudgian, Deputy Director of Influencing, Insight and Impact at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “We know that young people continue to be forgotten about when key national decisions about cancer care are made. That is why we want to ensure that the voices of teenagers and young people are heard at every level.
“Young people facing cancer can experience a multitude of issues, from the moment they are diagnosed, throughout their treatment and beyond. The upcoming Major Conditions Strategy could provide an opportunity to address and improve these issues, but in order to do so, there must be a focus on teenagers and young adults with cancer within the strategy. Young people who have or have had cancer must be involved in the process of building this strategy."
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