A teenager was diagnosed with stage three cancer after first going to the doctors about breathing problems and a lump on his neck. Jacob Allen was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin Lymphoma aged 15 just before the Covid-19 lockdown began – but now he’s running a half marathon for the charity that helped him during his treatment.
In February 2020, Jacob went to the doctors after months of breathing problems and finding a lump on his neck. Doctors thought Jacob might have had glandular fever. “I went to Boots and then we went to the doctors and then I had blood tests and they didn’t know what it was,” the now 18-year-old said. Jacob, from Penarth, was sent to the University Hospital Wales that evening for tests and scans. He was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin Lymphoma and started treatment within five days.
However, Jacob tried not to get too stressed about it. “I was a bit scared, I sort of guessed something was quite wrong at the time. I tried not to get too worked up about it,” he said. Jacob spent a month and a half as an in-patient while he was getting chemotherapy. He stopped his usual hobbies of hockey, rugby and sailing and had to stop going to school.
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Jacob’s parents, Clare and Stuart, spent some nights in the hospital in accommodation provided by LATCH Welsh Children's Cancer Charity, which they found really helpful. “We're lucky because we don't live that far away so we can come home but some people live in west Wales. They can't be going home and coming back every day,” Clare said.
Jacob was just about to go back to school when Covid hit, and a few days later the country went into lockdown. He said: “They had to limit the people on the ward so I had to move to the children's ward. Just as Covid hit I was just passed the stage of being in and out of hospital constantly so I wasn't really spending nights there, I was just there for Covid.”
Clare was relieved when Jacob was given the all clear as she was scared Jacob’s treatment would have to be paused if any of the family caught Covid-19. “We couldn't go out at risk of him catching Covid. His sister was at university and she wanted to come home and she could only come back at certain stages in his chemo,” she said.
Jacob struggled with his mental health after spending time at home during lockdown and said everyday became “mundane”. “Every month, being stuck inside, it started to affect me quite badly. I sort of couped up all my emotions for the first few months while everything was being really hectic. As soon as I had some time at home, everything all came flooding out all quite a bit,” he said.
Jacob started running to help with his mental health and said it gives him a “sense of freedom”. He continued running after being given the all-clear in August 2020 following six months of chemotherapy.
Jacob is planning on running the Newport Marathon on April 16 to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity that helped him during his treatment and provided a welcoming ward with a pool table. You can donate to his fundraiser here.
Jacob’s dad Stuart said: “Its just a nice place for teenagers. They encourage you to have friends and family come and visit. An adult ward would be too daunting and a children's ward would be too childish.”
Jacob ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon last April and raised over £2500 for the charity, but has decided to go for a full marathon this time. “Teenage Cancer Trust helped me quite a lot in the first few months. Without them it would've been a lot tougher. Every young person needs the opportunities I had and the help I had.”
He wants to give back to the charity by educating people about Teenage Cancer Trust and spread awareness by running while wearing a Teenage Cancer Trust t-shirt. The now 18-year-old has had time to reflect on his time living with cancer after his hectic six months of treatment.
“I guess it seems a bit further away now. Last year it felt like it had just happened and it felt really close. Now I've had a bit more time to think about it,” he said. “Looking back I don't know how I got through it at the time. I wouldn't really want to go through that again.”
Jacob is studying for his A-levels at Stanwell School, Penarth, and hopes to study mechanical engineering at Nottingham University in September. Jacob is now getting back to playing hockey and being active in the community through litter picks.
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