Event to raise awareness for blood cancer battlers
IN THE space of less than a week in July 2019, Carolyn Pemberton went from thinking she had a nasty case of the flu to receiving a devastating diagnosis that changed the course of her life: Blood cancer.
Ms Pemberton is one of many Australians battling the horrific form of cancer that’s one of the most common in Australia.
She said the symptoms began with just a tickle in her throat – but the nurse’s conditions deteriorated in a matter of 48 hours.
“I had a tickly throat on the Friday and I thought nothing of it,” she said.
“It was just a tickly cough. “By the Sunday I couldn’t get out of bed.
“I thought ‘I’ve got the flu’ – it was the worst I’ve ever felt in my life.”
Data shows 17,321 people were diagnosed with some form of blood cancer in 2020, behind breast cancer with 19,974 new diagnoses.
When Ms Pemberton arrived at Toowoomba Hospital she was told straight away that she was low in red blood cells, low in platelets, and had a rare form of pneumonia.
A leukaemia diagnosis followed, specifically Myelodysplastic Syndrome, which impacts the production of normal blood cells in the bone marrow.
Seven days before a vital stem cell treatment, and seven days after she shaved her head in preparation for treatment, they changed her diagnosis to severe Aplastic Anemia, so her treatment protocol changed.
Now she lives with both types of cancer.
“I was pretty upset, I won’t deny,” Ms Pemberton said.
It’s been a long two years of treatment for Ms Pemberton and in the last month she went through her seventh bone marrow transplant.
The experience has been taxing on her mental health.
“Since my diagnosis I went through a pretty rough patch with depression and really bad anxiety,” she said.
“I get really tired so I haven’t worked a lot and I miss that.”
Ms Pemberton is one of hundreds of Australians participating in Light the Night on October 16 – a fundraiser event to raise money and awareness for the Leukaemia Foundation.
Lanterns in three colours are lit for those with experiences with blood cancer.
White lanterns are for those going through a blood cancer journey, gold is for those who have lost a loved one, and blue is to show support for those affected.
Ms Pemberton will be lighting a white lantern.
Ms Pemberton has committed her life now to staying positive about her battle with help from her family, friends, the hospital, and the Leukaemia Foundation.
She does it for her children and grandchildren.
“I want to be here for them,” she said.
“Lately I try not to concentrate on my health so much.
“I don’t want to get a couple of years down the track and think I’ve just spent the years stressing about this journey.
“I’ve started doing things I love again, and getting out there and living life.”
To show your support for the Leukaemia Foundation and to participate in Light the Night head to https://lightthenight.org.au/.