Friday 15 September marks World Lymphoma Awareness Day. Inspiring local content creator, storyteller, motivational speaker, author and lymphoma survivor, Briony Benjamin joins forces with the Leukaemia Foundation to raise awareness.
Briony was a healthy, fit 31-year-old before she was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin lymphoma in 2018. This shock diagnosis turned her world upside down.
The 'Life is Tough But So Are You' author was thrown into life-saving treatment almost immediately, including months of grueling chemotherapy. Eventually, Briony was declared cancer-free, though it took her a long time to recover physically and emotionally from her blood cancer experience.
Briony is now a thriving blood cancer survivor and pregnant with her first child, due in October!
As a national ambassador for the Leukaemia Foundation, Briony is hoping to raise much-needed awareness of lymphoma - the most diagnosed form of blood cancer in Australia – and is encouraging anyone impacted by the disease to reach out to the Leukaemia Foundation for support.
With over 65,200 Australians currently living with lymphomai, World Lymphoma Awareness Day provides an opportunity for the Leukaemia Foundation to educate people on the signs and symptoms of the disease, which can often be subtle and difficult to recognise.
Common lymphoma symptoms include painless lumps around the lymph nodes usually in the neck, armpit or groin that may be dismissed as harmless. Other symptoms are night sweats, recurrent infections or fevers, and even itchy skin.
As someone who was misdiagnosed several times before eventually being told she had lymphoma, Briony believes that because the disease can be difficult to spot, it’s especially important to listen to your body and to act when something doesn’t feel right.
The Leukaemia Foundation encourages Australians to speak to your GP if you have ongoing symptoms that can’t be explained. The sooner that a blood cancer diagnosis occurs, the greater chance people have of beating the disease.
Anyone impacted by lymphoma, or any type of blood cancer can contact Australia’s blood cancer support line Monday to Friday via calling 1800 620 420 or visit bloodcancer.org.au.
