A mother from London has made the startling claim that a raucous five-day holiday to Benidorm ultimately saved her life, after symptoms she initially dismissed as a severe hangover turned out to be a sign of aggressive cancer.
From Holiday Bender to Hospital Ward
In November 2023, Clare Bushell, a 48-year-old safeguarding officer from Lambeth, embarked on a celebratory trip to the Spanish party resort with nine friends. The group marked the local fiesta with a marathon of drinking and minimal sleep over five days. "We were drinking all day and probably going until 5am or 6am in the morning," Clare recalled.
A couple of days after returning home, Clare began violently vomiting and assumed she was suffering from extreme alcohol poisoning after pushing her body too far. "I thought 'you deserve that'," she said.
Alarming Symptoms Spark Urgent Action
Her concern grew when, days later, she was hit by severe chest pains and endured a 45-minute nosebleed. Despite a 111 call handler suggesting it might be Covid, Clare trusted her instincts and went to hospital. "The pain was just in my chest and it was so, so strong," she said.
Admitted to hospital, Clare spent a month on a cancer ward before a biopsy in December 2023 delivered a shocking result. Doctors discovered a substantial mass covering a third of her chest. She was diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a fast-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Gratitude After Gruelling Treatment
Clare began six rounds of chemotherapy in January 2024, a course delayed three times after she contracted sepsis. By August 2024, she received the positive news that no further treatment was needed, though she requires check-ups every three months.
Reflecting on her extraordinary ordeal, Clare believes the physical stress of the holiday forced her hidden cancer to reveal itself. "I say that Benidorm saved my life," she stated. "Going there and kicking my body the way it did probably brought the symptoms to a head. I might have then been at a stage where I was beyond being able to have treatment."
She is now determined to raise awareness, urging people to listen to their bodies. "It's just knowing your body and being a bit more aware really. If it doesn't feel right then it probably isn't," Clare advised. "Don't give up the fight. Be aware that there's not only breast cancer, there are other cancers. I'd never heard of Lymphoma."
