Elizabeth’s story: I was told I had Stage IV cancer at 19
At 19 years old, Elizabeth was juggling full-time work and full-time study when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2017.
Doctors initially suspected osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and spoke to Elizabeth about the possibility of amputating her leg.
“I remember being completely overwhelmed,” Elizabeth says. “I was only 19. I was trying to build my future and suddenly I was being told I might lose my leg.”
But after further testing and an MRI scan, Elizabeth found out she had Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“It felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me,” she says. “I was emotionally unaware and completely unprepared for what a cancer diagnosis actually meant.”
Elizabeth was told that treatment could affect her ability to have children in the future.
“Being told at 19 that I may never be able to have children was incredibly confronting and heartbreaking,” she says.
“One of the hardest parts was feeling like I didn’t always have the emotional support or connection I needed while going through treatment and survivorship,” she says.
“There were times I felt scared, overwhelmed, isolated and unsure of what was ahead.”
In October 2018, Elizabeth was officially cleared of cancer.
But survivorship came with its own challenges.
“People often think the hard part ends when treatment finishes,” she says. “The reality is that life after cancer can be difficult too. You’re rebuilding your confidence, returning to work, processing everything you’ve been through and learning to live with uncertainty.”
Today, Elizabeth’s life looks very different. She is a wife, a mother to her three-year-old daughter Lavender, a business owner and a passionate advocate for people affected by cancer.
Her experience has shaped a new purpose.
“I want people to know there is life beyond cancer and purpose beyond treatment,” she says.
“I want to be the person for someone else that I wish I had during my journey. Someone who can offer hope, understanding and encouragement.”
“Surviving cancer taught me resilience, but it also taught me the importance of community and connection,” she says.
“Our stories have power. The story you survive could become the hope someone else needs to keep going. Don’t let cancer define your future or limit your dreams. There is still so much life to live on the other side of treatment.”