"I had always dreamed of becoming a doctor... but I never imagined I'd be a patient instead"
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and this is the story of 18-year-old Farhan, an aspiring doctor and patient at Newham Hospital, who faced the challenge of undergoing chemotherapy while managing his A-levels.
In December 2023, I began experiencing severe migraines that often left me bedridden, unable to do anything. Initially, my parents attributed them to exam stress and the pressure of preparing for my university interviews. However, when the headaches became unbearable, I decided to book an appointment with my GP to get them checked out.
Following an initial assessment, my GP referred me to A&E for a CT scan. When the scan came back clear, further investigation through a blood test revealed that I had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare type of cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow. This diagnosis came as a massive shock, as my only apparent symptom was the migraines—I didn’t feel tired, weak, or any of the other typical symptoms.
The situation then escalated quickly. My nurse handed me a leaflet about ALL, which I had previously read as part of my research for applying to medical school. I had always dreamed of becoming a doctor one day, but I never imagined that I was about to become a patient instead.
I was immediately placed on an intensive chemotherapy regimen, and for the next five months, I juggled between hospital visits and attempting to stay on top of my A-level studies.
I struggled significantly with revision. Procrastination, fuelled by a lack of motivation and a sense of uncertainty, kept me from starting my revision. It wasn't until about three weeks before my A-levels that I received a call from my head of year, asking whether I planned to take the exams. In that moment, I was torn between saying yes or no. Since being diagnosed, I had always maintained that I would still do my A-levels, but the reality was that I had covered next to no content or done any meaningful work for nearly five months. There were still significant gaps in my knowledge.
In the spur of the moment, I informed my head of year that I would go ahead with my exams. That was the point when I truly began my preparation. I realised I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by attempting my A-levels. If I didn't perform as well as I hoped, at least I would have gained the experience, and the exams would have served as practice. But if I did well, I might be able to return to some sense of normalcy and hopefully move on from the sense of limbo I had been in.
Throughout this period, I was deeply grateful for the support I received from my clinical nurse specialists, Kady and Jacqui, and my consultant, Dr. Ravi. It’s been a difficult year, but I truly believe the entire team in Rainbow Ward has played a part in my recovery—they truly went above and beyond.
This summer, I’ve been resting at home while my immune system recovers, but soon I hope to celebrate with my friends before everyone goes their separate ways for uni. In six years’ time, I hope to return to Newham Hospital as a qualified doctor and offer the same compassion and support that I have received. The team were my biggest supporters throughout my treatment, and I can’t express how much it meant to me.
Farhan finished his last course of intensive chemotherapy a week after receiving his A-level results, achieving A*, A*, and A. He is now looking forward to studying medicine at university in October.
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