A young man has shared his harrowing experience of being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at just 21, after initially overlooking the signs of the disease.
Jay Shew, from Sydney, Australia, underwent a blood test in August 2023 which showed elevated calcium levels – something he didn’t think much of at the time, but later realised was an indicator that his bones were “fighting off a disease.” Two months on, he began to lose significant weight and his complexion turned extremely pale, changes that were pointed out by concerned family, friends and colleagues who told him he “looks like a ghost”.
Speaking candidly in a TikTok video, Jay admitted that he had been experiencing symptoms of cancer, but hadn’t recognised them as such. He said: “I had a really sore back pain so I’d wake up in the middle of the night or in the morning and it felt like my lower back was breaking, it was that bad.”
Night sweats were another symptom, with Jay recalling instances where he woke up drenched in sweat, once even mistaking it for having wet the bed. Fatigue also plagued him, as he found himself needing to nap just hours after waking up due to extreme tiredness.
A few weeks later, he started to experience “really bad chest pain.” Describing the sensation as unlike anything he’d felt before, Jay remembers coughing up phlegm and his voice deepening, leading him to believe he had a chest infection.
It was then that he sought medical advice and was prescribed antibiotics. He recounted: “Four days later everything went away. I was like brand new. I felt like a new person. Now, after that, maybe like three days after that, I got sick again.”
He observed that his illness returned, but “came back worse this time.” After revisiting his doctor, Jay received a different course of antibiotics; however, these did not improve his condition, prompting him to return the following day where he was advised to get a CT scan at the hospital. Following the scan, he had to spend a night in hospital.
The next morning, a nurse informed him that the scan showed swollen lymph nodes within his lymphatic system and indicated he might have a type of blood cancer. A subsequent biopsy and approximately eight tests would confirm that he had stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a relatively rare cancer affecting the lymphatic system, a series of vessels and glands spanning the body, as detailed by the NHS. This type of cancer can strike at any age, typically hitting those between 20 to 40 years old, and those over 75.
The NHS highlights that a swelling in the neck, armpit, or groin is the most frequent sign of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, though other symptoms exist like night sweats, unexplained weight loss, a high temperature, ongoing coughing or shortness of breath, and persistent skin itching. Jay had some of these symptoms but was unaware at the time that they were indicative of cancer.
The Mayo Clinic has identified that hypercalcemia, a condition where the blood’s calcium level is too high, can lead to weakened bones and kidney stones. Cancer Research UK also points out that elevated blood calcium levels “sometimes happen if your cancer is advanced.”
If you’re experiencing any concerning symptoms, we recommend seeking medical advice from a doctor.