Navigating non-hodgkin’s lymphoma as a young adult

Michelle is a young woman from the UK.

She talks about her treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and shares her insights about going through cancer as a young lesbian in these videos from Teenage Cancer Trust. She discusses dealing with changing identity, relationships, fertility issues, and her positive experiences with healthcare staff.

“LGBTQ relationships are not widely discussed or explored at school, and most emphasis is placed on heterosexual relationships as the norm, therefore I didn’t know much about the fertility options available to myself as a lesbian. Until I was diagnosed with cancer, I had never given much second thought to fertility options as I always assumed I would have many choices. However, with each treatment I became aware that I would be less and less likely to conceive and had to consider the real possibility I would not be able to have my own children. Dealing with this at a young age can be very overwhelming as before you are even ready to think about having kids, the decision is basically made for you.”

---

Related stories