Teen diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma says her cancer battle only started sinking in when her hair ‘fell out’
Natasha has to visit the “teen-only” unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow five times a week for chemotherapy
A 15-YEAR-old girl who has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma says her cancer battle only truly sunk in when she began to lose her hair.
Natasha is one of three young people bravely sharing their story on BBC documentary, Growing Up With Cancer.
She told the programme: "When someone says to you the word 'cancer', you just go blank.
"It started sinking in when my hair started falling out. That's when it properly sunk in."
Natasha has to visit the “teen-only” unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow five times a week for chemotherapy.
She said going bald changed the way she sees herself, and how other people react to her.
"It is so confusing because I miss the old self,” she said.
"Before I thought I'm never going to walk out bald, I'll always have my wigs on every time I walk out of the house.
"But now I don't care if people are looking at me because it's not their life."
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Natasha says her wig can give her a sore head and make her ears hurt, but she uses “positive thinking” to battle through.
"It's hard with something like this at the beginning when you get told but when you get into it there's nothing else you can do," she said.
"You've got it, deal with it - and that's it."
She plans to be a lawyer in the future and says she will “never take health for granted”.
Every day in the UK seven teenagers find out they have cancer.
The Teenage Cancer Trust has set up the specially-designed unit, which brings young people from all over Scotland who are dealing with cancer together, so they don't have to face it alone.
The programme also features 14-year-old Nairn, who also has Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
He worries about the impact his illness has on his family.
"I don't want my mum and dad to be worried and I wouldn't want anyone else to be,” he said.
"The smile on my face helps them to cope I feel.
"Obviously as a teenager you're going to get grumpy so I've tried to maintain a good behaviour with them and it has kind of worked but it's difficult.
"Sometimes I want to be a bit grumpy but I need to keep that smile on because I know it is helping them through it."
Like Natasha, he has struggled with losing his hair.
"Natasha was really supportive and I think it was really helpful talking to her about what kind of symptoms she had,” he said.
"I think she helped me embrace what was wrong with me a bit more.
What is Hodgkin's lymphoma?
Hodgkin lymphoma is an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which is a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body.
The lymphatic system is part of your immune system. Clear fluid called lymph flows through the lymphatic vessels and contains infection-fighting white blood cells, known as lymphocytes.
In Hodgkin lymphoma, B-lymphocytes (a particular type of lymphocyte) start to multiply in an abnormal way and begin to collect in certain parts of the lymphatic system, such as the lymph nodes (glands). The affected lymphocytes lose their infection-fighting properties, making you more vulnerable to infection.
The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin.
Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects young adults in their early 20s and older adults over the age of 70. Slightly more men than women are affected.
Around 1,900 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK each year.
Source: NHS
"I think I'm just going to continue life as it was before and I hope everyone can do the same."
Meanwhile, Declan, 14, was in the unit for a stem cell transplant after a relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an aggressive form of cancer.
He said: "I started my treatment almost two years ago and I was doing fine. I was on a maintenance part of treatment but then I relapsed.
"They took me for a bone marrow and they found out the chemo hadn't worked, which was horrible news.
"I was just transitioning from child to teenager. I had to grow up pretty fast."
Growing Up With Cancer is on BBC One on Monday at 7.30pm