My name is Amanda and I’m a mum, step mum, daughter, sister, friend, and business owner. I live in Bournemouth in the South of England, having left London five years ago in search of a more relaxed life by the sea. I love the outdoors – running and walking, and am mad about Pilates and strength work. I have a recruitment business which keeps me busy-ish, but mostly I’m out with my husband and our dog Baxter walking on the beach or exploring the South coast.
I was diagnosed with FL very recently in October 2024 and am at Stage 2. I found a lump in my groin and went for a scan, biopsy, and PET scan. Since that original scan, I’ve discovered 3 more lumps. It was a big shock finding out I had cancer – I really wasn’t expecting it! All I heard was “lymphoma”, “slow growing” and “not metastasized” and now I’m on watch and wait and feeling like a ticking time bomb. It’s funny how people assume if you’re ‘fit and healthy’ you can’t get cancer! So much we all need to learn.
The biggest of which was telling my son who’d just got engaged. I didn’t want to rain on his parade, but he was brilliant about it. We looked online together at the FLF website and read up on what we needed to know. In a bid to kick the a** e out of my lymphoma, we are finally going skiing together next month.
It was also very difficult breaking the news to my parents. They aren’t in the best of health and rely on me for support. Once I was diagnosed and was told I’d be actively monitored, they breathed a collective sigh of relief and find it quite uncomfortable to talk about it to me.
I have 4 siblings (we live all over the world) and they have also been caring and supportive where they can. I’ve told a handful of people and a couple of close friends but having moved in the last 5 years (just before the Pandemic), I don’t have a very close network where I live.
So far, I have done my best to maintain a positive mindset. I was told that I would live with follicular lymphoma, not die from it, and although this wasn’t the most charming thing to hear, it has helped me. I am also keeping fit and healthy as I would do normally, and I don’t want to make a fuss, nor be wrapped in cotton wool. Some days I’m just exhausted and feel rubbish so I just go with how that feels. The pre-lymphoma me would have fought it every step of the way; now I just accept only three batteries from six are working!
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