Jamie Scoular
Cancer category: Leukaemias
Cancer type: Acute myeloid leukaemia
Jamie, from Loddington, and now 18, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia at the age of 6. While doctors thought it was glandular fever, the diagnosis was far worse.
Jamie's story
My name is Jamie. I am 16 years old and live in a small village called Loddington on the outskirts of Kettering. At the age of 6 I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML).
I had a golf balled shape lump around a gland in my neck and went to see my GP, at first they thought that it was glandular fever but a blood test revealed that it was a lot worse.
I was rushed off to Leicester Royal Infirmary where I was immediately treated on Ward 27, a children’s ward.
I received 5 doses of chemotherapy and stayed in hospital for 7 months with the occasional days at home. I have some really good memories of my time on the ward along with the odd bad one! I made friends that I keep in touch with today.
After 5 healthy years of school and a lot of sport especially rugby, I was given the all clear and was told I was in total remission. Unfortunately that summer I relapsed with the same symptoms and was forced again to live on Ward 27.
The doctors decided that this time they would take another route and that a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) was the way forward, this meant my treatment was moved to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, as they were equipped for this as they had a bigger cancer unit. Surprisingly the transplant it self went very well but it was after that I hit the problems with many infections, as my immunity was so low.
It was around a year later I was told that I could finally go home, after all that time I wasn’t sure whether life would be the same. But 4 years later with the help from family, friends and groups like Teenage Cancer Trust, I am waiting upon my GCSE’s aspiring to become a Doctor and the most important thing, I am back playing Rugby.
I wasn’t treated on a Teenage Cancer Trust unit as there wasn’t one near enough to where I lived, but I wish I had. I was treated on a children’s ward, it was a lovely ward and the staff were awesome, it just got a bit annoying with all the children. There were some people my age, but it would have been better if there had been more. If I was in a Teenage Cancer Trust ward, it would have made my recovery a little easier. I strongly really believe that everyone in the East Midlands should have access to a Teenage Cancer Trust unit.
Before I became involved with Teenage Cancer Trust and Find Your Sense of Tumour, I couldn’t speak about cancer; I was self conscious. Now I do what I can to help. I told my friends about Teenage Cancer Trust and they asked me what they could do. I told them. Together we raised over £16,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust.
We are a team of 23 who are working for a cause. It is amazing what a group can do. They are amazing. Together we train, plan, raise money, laugh and support each other. It is like a family. I am lucky they are here.
