'Delays cost lives': Hampshire man calls for action after Leukaemia symptoms weren't taken 'seriously' by doctors
A family man who was ignored by doctors is campaigning for change
A Hampshire man, who is in remission, is part of a national campaign to improve how leukaemia is diagnosed.
Ian Thomson is calling for action to avoid delays in leukaemia diagnosis after his worsening symptoms were dismissed by doctors who failed to “take him seriously”.
In 2019, the 54-year-old was living his normal life with his family in Winchester where he seemed to be fit and healthy. But his health started to take a turn when he began experiencing symptoms including fatigue, swollen tonsils and a large lump under his arm.
He said: “I saw my local GP twice, but he didn’t take it seriously. The symptoms got worse and by June 2019, I’d deteriorated to the point where I couldn’t get out of bed. It was then that my wife Amanda rushed me to A&E.”
Ian was rushed to Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, where tests revealed he had acute myeloid leukaemia, an extremely aggressive type of leukaemia which requires urgent treatment.
Almost 80 per cent of people diagnosed with AML in the UK will not survive beyond five years.
Ian immediately began six months of intensive chemotherapy, and tests revealed he had a genetic mutation that slightly improved his prognosis, but he needed a stem cell transplant to survive.
In February 2020, after further chemotherapy, Ian received a stem cell transplant at Southampton Hospital via the donor register.
While the transplant was initially successful, Ian later developed Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), which is a serious and painful complication that required months of intensive treatment. By early 2021, Ian started his recovery and was able to return to work, cycling and family life.
Ian has since met his stem cell donor, Rachel, a nurse from Glasgow, after writing anonymously to each other for several years, and they have now formed a close friendship.
He added: “I’m incredibly fortunate. I’m back doing everything I did before, but I know how close I came to not being here.
“My diagnosis had a profound physical and mental impact on both me and my loved ones. While the treatment I received was incredible, I’ll never forget how my symptoms were initially dismissed, I don’t want anyone else to go through that – something needs to change.”
Now in remission, Ian is desperate to make a change to ensure people are diagnosed before it is too late. Despite his symptoms, he was never offered a full blood count test by his GP, a simple test to rule out or indicate leukaemia.
He has shared his story as part of Leukaemia UK’s Count Us In campaign, which is calling for improved access to full blood count tests, and clearer referral pathways for leukaemia.
Fiona Hazell, chief executive of Leukaemia UK said: “Ian’s experience is a story that we sadly hear far too often from patients and their families, with many people reaching an avoidable crisis point before they’re diagnosed.
“The Government has finally recognised the need for earlier leukaemia diagnosis in the National Cancer Plan, but recognition is only the first step – action is what saves lives. We now need to see this commitment delivered through increased access to testing and better referral pathways for leukaemia.