A 26-year-old woman has described how she diagnosed herself with cancer after doctors repeatedly told her that her severe itching was due to dry skin and needed only moisturiser.
Sumbul Ari, from the UK, endured extreme itching for 11 months, which she said felt like 'things crawling in her skin'. The itching was so bad that she could not get a full night's sleep for seven months. Despite visiting doctors, she was told it was likely dry skin, scabies or eczema, and advised to use moisturiser.
Ms Ari also experienced night sweats, chronic fatigue and loss of appetite. After discovering a lump on her neck, she searched online and found that her symptoms matched Hodgkin's lymphoma. She insisted on an ultrasound, which confirmed enlarged lymph nodes, and was officially diagnosed with stage 2–3 Hodgkin's lymphoma on 17 March.
She has since begun chemotherapy and is urging others to advocate for themselves if they feel something is wrong. 'If you know there is something wrong with you, please do not stop advocating for yourself,' she said.
