Starting over Cancer survivor to set charity racers on their way

A BRISTOL woman who mistook the early signs of cancer for a common cold has been chosen to launch this year’s Race for Life.

- by POST REPORTER

Ezzy Pearson, now 37, was beginning her first year at university when she developed what she assumed was “Freshers’ flu” - the common term for the wave of cold and flu-like symptoms that often affect new students as they start university life. But what started as a runny nose, fatigue, and a persistent cough turned out to be something far more serious.

“On the Wednesday of Freshers’ Week, I noticed a lump on the side of my neck and just felt really rubbish,” said Ezzy. “I was constantly carrying around a box of tissues and assumed it was just Freshers’ Flu. But when it hadn’t cleared up after a month, I went to the GP.”

After initially being told to wait and see if her symptoms would resolve on their own, Ezzy returned to her GP when she continued to feel unwell. After undergoing multiple rounds of blood tests, she was referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist. A biopsy on the lump in her neck confirmed a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system - a key part of the body's immune defence. It typically affects white blood cells called lymphocytes and often presents as painless swelling in the lymph nodes, particularly in the neck, chest, or underarms.