Cancer's left me living three months at a time

Andrew McAslan was 25 when a slow-growing form of the disease struck. Now he's a dad looking to the future with the help of cancer charity Maggie's

- Edited by HANNAH BRITT

At the age of 25, Andrew McAslan was in great physical shape. A keen runner, he was doing intense training as a track athlete.

So when he started getting stomach cramps, night sweats and fatigue, doctors put his symptoms down to irritable bowel syndrome caused by stress.

But while he was waiting for test results, he noticed a lump under his chin as he was shaving and knew something wasn't right.

Andrew was diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma, a slow-growing blood cancer described as incurable - and it had spread from his neck to his groin.

Now 29, the mechanical engineer from Leeds, says: "It was like an out-of-body experience, a whole body sensation where it must be too much for your mind and body to process.

"It doesn't feel real, but at the same time, it's the most sinking feeling you can imagine. You think about a hundred things at once. What is it going to mean? The first thought is, am I going to die?"

Some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are difficult to eradicate and patients can live with the disease which can be managed as a chronic condition, leaving Andrew looking ahead to a "lifelong struggle" until a cure is found.

GRIEVING

Suddenly his sporty life was replaced by gruelling chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment. And there was the added mental toll of feeling totally alone.

His then sports psychologist partner Leah, now his wife, was left reeling by his illness. She had lost her mother two years before-hand and was still grieving and adjusting to her "new normal" without her.