Clint thought his blood cancer was 'man-flu'

A DAD from Burton is sharing his story of blood cancer after initially dismissing his symptoms as 'man-flu'.

- By JOSEPH RICHARDS

Retail worker Clint Nield was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) after experiencing repeat infections and fatigue, which he thought was 'man-flu' but never imagined he was about to be diagnosed with a deadly blood cancer.

Now Clint is sharing his story in support of the #SpotLeukaemia campaign, run by charities Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care, to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms as part of Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

AML is a fast growing, aggressive blood cancer which needs urgent treatment. Every year, almost 3,100 people in the UK are diagnosed with the disease, and nearly 80 per cent of those diagnosed will not survive beyond five years.

A delay in diagnosis is common for leukaemia due to its varied symptoms, and early diagnosis through a full blood count test is critical to improving survival rates.

"I had a cold that just wouldn't go away," Clint said. "It went on for three weeks, by which time I was off work and so lacking in energy I was struggling to walk. The doctor thought it was a chest infection, but it just kept getting worse."