A young mother from Sunderland received a devastating diagnosis after a seemingly innocuous symptom – pain in her neck when drinking wine – turned out to be a sign of a serious illness.
A Mother's Instinct and Overlooked Symptoms
Hollie Thursby, a 28-year-old primary school teacher, first noticed the unusual pain behind her ear and down her neck after enjoying a couple of glasses of wine following the birth of her second son in December 2024. She reported the symptom, along with unbearably itchy skin and extreme tiredness, to her GP at her six-week postnatal check in January 2025. At the time, she claims her symptoms were dismissed as being related to her hormones.
"I'd been shattered for a long time," Hollie explained. "But I had two babies under two so I just put that down to being a busy mum." The itching, particularly severe on her legs at night, was also attributed to hormonal changes. It wasn't until July 2025, when Hollie discovered a lump on the left side of her neck, that she sought medical advice again.
The Shocking Diagnosis and a Painful Family History
Her GP referred her for a CT scan, which revealed a large cluster of lymph nodes. A subsequent biopsy delivered heartbreaking news on October 23, 2025: Hollie had stage two Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
The diagnosis was especially traumatic given her family history. Hollie's mother died when she was just 10 years old from myelodysplasia, a blood disorder similar to cancer. "It's too much of a coincidence," Hollie said. "I just felt shocked and heartbroken. We're all devastated."
The Rare Link Between Alcohol and Lymphoma Pain
Hollie's oncologist provided a startling explanation for her initial wine-related pain. The doctor, with 17 years of experience, said she had only seen the phenomenon one other time. Pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol is a recognised, though rare, symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma, often linked to the acidity in drinks like wine.
"It's something about the acidity in the wine," Hollie noted. "I could have prosecco and sometimes it would hurt and sometimes it wouldn't. I could have lager and it wouldn't hurt but with wine it would really, really hurt."
Facing Treatment and a Mother's Greatest Fear
Hollie began chemotherapy on November 4, 2025. While she is supported by family, the hardest part of her treatment is not being able to care for her two young sons. "I'm their mum, it's my job to look after them," she shared. "I'm worried that I'm dying and that I'm going to leave them. I grew up without a mum and it was horrendous, I can't do that to the boys."
She is focusing on her recovery, telling herself the situation is temporary. The NHS officially lists pain in the neck, armpit, or groin after consuming alcohol as a potential symptom of Hodgkin Lymphoma, caused by swelling in affected lymph nodes.
