EastEnders' Denise Fox faces a devastating diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) alone, a storyline that resonates deeply with Yvonne Gabriel, 58, a retired deputy head teacher who received the same news in July 2018 while by herself.
Yvonne's Experience Mirrors Denise's Story
Yvonne, from Wallington, Surrey, recalls the shock of her diagnosis: "It was such a huge shock. I wrongly thought adults couldn't get leukaemia. The whole thing was a blur. But I remember the doctor saying it was treatable and I hung on to those words for the whole of my cancer journey." She returned home to tell her civil partner Annette, 63, and daughter Leanne, 38, the news. "My partner and daughter kept reiterating that the cancer was treatable and curable. I am usually the person that looks after people so it was really hard to feel I was causing the upset. They held themselves together for me."
Black Patients Face Lower Stem Cell Donor Match Rates
Both Yvonne and Denise, played by Diane Parish, 56, are Black. According to Blood Cancer UK, Black or mixed-race blood cancer patients with leukaemia have only a 37% chance of finding a 10/10 matched unrelated stem cell donor, compared to 72% for white patients. This disparity highlights the importance of raising awareness.
Treatment and Recovery
Yvonne began treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton within days, undergoing three courses of intensive chemotherapy. She finished in November 2018. She praises EastEnders for running the storyline: "It is fantastic that EastEnders are running this storyline. It might mean viewers watching it get help if they have symptoms or even understand a little more what people with blood cancer are going through."
Yvonne advises staying active during treatment. "I lost my hair and if Denise has chemotherapy this will probably happen to her. I was very emotional on the day I shaved it. But it will come back and it's a sign the treatment is working. You can adorn yourself in different ways – wear jewellery or colours that make you feel like you."
After benefiting from massage therapy as a patient, Yvonne trained to become a massage therapist herself. "It was life-changing. It helped me physically and emotionally."
Blood Cancer UK's Role
Matthew White, director at Blood Cancer UK, says: "Many people with blood cancer have to visit their GP multiple times before they are diagnosed. Seeing blood cancer spotlighted on such a popular programme like EastEnders is a powerful platform that can help make a 'hidden' cancer more visible."
Blood Cancer UK provides trusted advice for people with blood cancer and funds research into better and kinder treatments. Visit bloodcancer.org.uk for more information.
