Birmingham Teacher Embarks on Global Journey After Incurable Cancer Diagnosis
A 26-year-old former history teacher from Birmingham is refusing to let an incurable cancer diagnosis control her life, instead embarking on an ambitious global travel bucket list. Khadejah Sutherland received the devastating news in February 2025 that her stage four breast cancer, which has spread to her liver and stomach, is terminal.
Unusual Symptoms and Shocking Diagnosis
Khadejah first noticed something was wrong in 2022 when she was just 22 years old. "I did not have any of the typical symptoms associated with breast cancer," she explained. "I had put on a stone-and-a-half, and my skin was really bad – which was abnormal for me because, even as a teenager, I didn't really have bad skin."
After six months of persistent skin issues and unexplained weight gain, Khadejah consulted doctors who discovered a cyst. Following a biopsy, she received the shocking diagnosis of stage three breast cancer. "When I was diagnosed, I was absolutely devastated – it felt like an out-of-body experience because it just didn't make sense," she recalled. "How could I be 22 and have cancer? I was terrified."
Grueling Treatment and Further Complications
The young teacher underwent aggressive treatment including:
- Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
- Six different surgeries including a double mastectomy
- Skin grafts and egg removal procedures
The chemotherapy had severe side effects, "shutting down" her organs and "destroying" her pancreas, resulting in Type 1 diabetes. The treatment also induced early menopause. Despite these interventions, Khadejah learned the cancer had progressed to stage four and become incurable, spreading to her liver and stomach.
Embracing Life Through Travel
Rather than surrendering to her diagnosis, Khadejah made a conscious decision to pursue her dreams. "After a while, I decided that I'm not going to let it control my life," she stated. "I do not have cancer, cancer has me. So I am pursuing my dream of travelling the world."
With the help of a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over £19,000 and support from her social media followers, Khadejah has already visited:
- Paris
- Brazil
- Prague
- Ibiza
- Malta
- Dublin
- San Francisco
- Las Vegas
"My favourite has to be Brazil," she shared. "I've never been to a country like that before, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I just felt so blessed and grateful to even be there."
Balancing Travel with Medical Needs
Travelling with incurable cancer presents significant challenges. Khadejah must carry all her medications, maintain strict medication schedules, consistently monitor her diabetes, and manage exhaustion, joint pain, and medication side effects that sometimes require taking days off from exploring.
"I know that just comes with the territory," she acknowledged. "My friends are really good at looking after me and checking in on me to ensure I'm feeling okay consistently."
Future Plans and Philosophical Outlook
Khadejah has several upcoming trips planned, including Japan, a solo journey to Brussels, and a mystery holiday to Morocco in June. Jamaica and South Africa remain on her travel wish list.
While grateful for her travel opportunities, she maintains a bittersweet perspective. "I do feel so blessed to be able to travel and see the world in a way that I never thought I would be able to before," she said. "But at the same time, it is heartbreaking that it is under these circumstances."
"I want to see as much of the world as I can so I can feel like I truly lived and I didn't waste any time on this earth," Khadejah emphasized, documenting her journey through social media and starting a new YouTube series exploring hobbies from A to Z.
Despite mourning her pre-diagnosis life, she remains determined: "This is my new normal and I will still live my best life despite my situation."
