A quick trip to the supermarket turned into a life-saving moment for hairdresser Natalie Deakin, and it wasn’t because of an emergency on the road. During her drive home on 18th March, Natalie’s seatbelt kept irritating her neck. What seemed like a minor discomfort turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While adjusting the seatbelt, Natalie felt a hard lump the size of a golf ball on the right side of her neck. Shocked and concerned, Natalie, a 34-year-old mum from Nuneaton, wasted no time and booked an appointment with her GP. Tests revealed what she never expected: stage-two Hodgkin Lymphoma, a rare type of cancer in the lymphatic system.
Natalie had been feeling fit and healthy, with no other signs apart from some bruising and itchy skin, which she had dismissed. “Life was normal. I had no symptoms, nothing,” she shared, reflecting on how her seatbelt, ironically, led to the crucial discovery. Now gearing up for chemotherapy, Natalie is urging everyone to pay close attention to their bodies and not ignore any unusual changes. “Check yourself all the time. If you notice anything that’s not normal, get it checked out,” she advises.
Her unexpected journey from a routine shopping trip to a life-altering diagnosis has halted her plans for the year, leaving her contemplating serious topics she never thought she’d face at her age. “I never imagined saying I had cancer at 34. It all changed in a second,” Natalie says, acknowledging how critical that drive home turned out to be. She expresses gratitude that the seatbelt, usually a simple safety device, played a vital role in uncovering her condition. Life can take unexpected turns, and Natalie’s story is a powerful reminder: be vigilant, listen to your body, and seek medical advice when in doubt. Your own vigilance could be what saves your life.