NOTGINNYWEASLEY (just slightly ginger)

An issue very close to my heart. Going to be ignorant and assume the majority who see this will be young(er). Please know the signs and symptoms of cancer in young adults!

(From the Teenage Cancer Trust) Learn the five most common signs of cancer in young people aged 13 to 24. These are PERSISTENT AND UNEXPLAINED:

An unexplained lump or swelling anywhere in the body

Any bleeding or bruising that isn’t normal

Unexplained weight loss

Pain that either gets worse or doesn‘t get better

Very bad headaches

Very bad and unexplained tiredness (fatigue)

Changes in the size, shape and colour of a mole on your skin

A cough, sore throat or a hoarse voice that won’t go away

A change in bowel habits

- (I would also add, for those with wombs, abnormal changes in your cycle!)

In the UK from a 2012 survey, two thirds (61%) of young people with cancer visited their GPs with at least one of the most common cancer symptoms, yet for a third (28%) GP’s took no action. A quarter (26%) visited GPs four times or more before their symptoms were taken seriously and they were referred to a specialist.

Cancer in young adults is rare, but when it does appear, it is often brushed off as growing pains. This leads to late diagnosis and often more complicated treatment later on. Unfortunately, until better education for schools and GPs is introduced (and we start listening to wonderful people like Kris Hallenga), you need to be persistent. Know your body, and know when it’s telling you something is different.

Until we get rid of this ‘orrible malarkey, early detection is key.