Alice's Treatment
Alice is given a clean bill of health and graduates, 2017
Alice starts her chemotherapy, 2016
Alice has been undergoing chemotherapy for a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma, to treat a tumour in her chest. She has completed 6 cycles of treatment - around six months of intensive therapy at Cambridge Nuffield Hospital, with her last treatment session in early December.
She is now fit and healthy.
Thank you to everyone for all your amazing support and good wishes.
Back on Her Feet
To demonstrate that she is fit and well at the end of her personal marathon, Alice and her partner Martyn ran the Cambridge Half Marathon on 5 March 2017. They are raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support for their help during the year, with all their useful and clear information during the anxious waiting and access to a vibrant online support community of people going through the same types of things. If you would be able to sponsor Alice and Martyn’s run, please donate at:
Last chemotherapy treatment session, 30 November 2016
Initial Condition: PET Scan 24 May 2016: Cross section through chest cavity. Yellow and red mass is the growing tumour.
After two months of treatment: PET Scan 22 August 2016. Mass is reduced in size. Darker colour shows less growth activity.
PET Scan and Progress Report
22 August 2016
The PET scan checks the progress of the chemotherapy a third of the way through the treatment. The tumour has shrunk significantly - it is now half of the mass that is was when she was diagnosed, and its growth metabolism (heat colour in the PET scans above) has slowed significantly. Her secondary tumours are also being reduced and her body generally appears to be responding well to the treatment without too mch toxicity damage from the chemicals. More importantly than the tumour size is the metabolic change, which has a Deauville score of 3, whatever that means. The consultant is pleased to report that there is no sign of secondary tumours below the liver. All extremely encouraging but a long way still to go. No need to change the treatment regime, but the blood thinning drugs and the bleomycin can be discontinued now.
3A cycle - last dose needed of bleomycin and encouraged by PET scan results 24 August 2016
2B or not 2B - with Nurse Kate in treatment cycle 19 August 2016
Cycle 2B
10 August 2016
A third of the way through the treatment - two months in and four to go. A national shortage of bleomycin means that the treatment now consists of "AVD" rather than "AVBD". Alice staying positive and still reasonably healthy, although very tired after the treatments. And her taste buds go funny for a few days.
Cycle 1B
13 July 2016
Second half of the first cycle of treatment. Alice withstanding the treatment pretty well so far, without too many ill side effects.
The new hairstyle
9 July 2016
Garry at Scruffs specialises in hair styles and wigs for cancer patients. In exchange for Alice's waist-length plait as a contribution to the Little Princess charity, he's helped her get a wig for use later in the treatment cycle. Alice is now sporting a short bob cut, looking radically different.
Alice prepares to start her treatment
Week 1: 29 June 2016
Alice begins her chemotherapy for a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma, to treat a tumour in her chest.
She faces 6 cycles of treatment - around six months of intensive therapy at Cambridge Nuffield Hospital.
Thank you to everyone for all your support and good wishes.
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