Nieve Mottram, a 20-year-old from Childwall, has had her life “put on hold” after a “heartbreaking” diagnosis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. The diagnosis came after lumps appeared on her neck in June of last year and later under her arm, which grew dramatically by April 1.
Initial Symptoms and Misdiagnosis
Nieve first noticed lumps on her neck in June 2025. Doctors initially reassured her that the lumps were related to her white blood cells, which help fight infections. However, when a lump appeared under her arm and grew significantly by April 1, 2026, Nieve and her mother Heidi Mottram, 54, suspected something more serious. Nieve told the ECHO: “I just thought it was a lump because we'd gone in about the ones on my neck, and it was just like, ‘oh, it's just your white blood cells, we don't know why they're doing that.'” She added, “And then the one under my arm appeared, and that's the one that sent us down this whole journey. By April 1, it had grown dramatically. That’s when we booked an appointment because we thought, that's not right.”
Diagnosis and Impact
In May 2026, Nieve was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that develops when white blood cells grow out of control and form abnormal Reed–Sternberg cells. Approximately 2,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with this condition each year, with most cases occurring in people aged 15–34 or over 60. According to Blood Cancer UK and Lymphoma Action, the most common symptom is a painless, rubbery lump or lumps that persist for weeks, typically in the neck or collarbone area but possibly elsewhere. However, Lymphoma Action notes that most people with swollen lymph nodes do not have lymphoma.
Heidi expressed shock at the diagnosis: “There are other symptoms like night sweats, dramatic weight loss and shortness of breath. She'd just had a lump. To find out it was a form of blood cancer, it was shocking.” Nieve added, “We were under the impression that some people just have lumps for no reason. With this, the lump is really not meant to be there at all.”
Treatment and Life Changes
Nieve is at stage three of the disease, but it is curable as the abnormal cells remain contained within her lymph nodes. She has started chemotherapy, which has forced her to put her career on hold after completing a makeup studies course. She also missed her graduation. Nieve said, “I can't go to my graduation this year, so that was a bit of a bummer. You have to put your whole life on hold, reevaluate and think, where do I go from here?”
Her low immunity requires strict precautions, including an organic diet and a meticulously clean environment. Heidi noted, “We don't want her to catch anything because she could become really poorly. It's a lot to get your mind around. But she's handling it so well. That's made it a little bit easier for me because as a parent, watching your child go through something that you cannot help them with and protect them from, it's absolutely heartbreaking.” A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family during this time.
