Shona, 21, was told she had rare cancer known as nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma after a doctor she was cutting the hair of saw a concerning symptom
A hairdresser was given a shock diagnosis after a doctor client noticed a worrying symptom during a routine appointment.
Shona Joyce, then aged 21, was having a normal day cutting Dr Laura’s hair when she noticed a concerning lump on her hairdresser’s armpit and told her to check it out right away. Shona booked an appointment at the Glenview Clinic in Dublin in June last year and was then referred to St James’ Hospital, where they carried out an ultrasound and biopsy. To her shock ten weeks later, Shona was diagnosed with nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma – a cancer of the immune system.
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The young hairdresser underwent surgery in August 2024 to have the lymph node removed. She later started eight rounds and three months of intense chemotherapy, Manchester Evening News reported.
Shona said: “When they told me I had cancer, it was a shock, but I had the mindset I knew that I would go through it. Going to the hospital for the first time shocked me, as I recently turned 21. Everything was good in my life. I would go to the gym, I was looking forward to a holiday, I qualified as a hairdresser, and I was the busiest I’ve ever been.”
She went on to say: “I would work five to six days a week. I had a busy job, and that is why the doctors couldn’t understand. I’m a really positive person, but it was a shock for everyone, and I couldn’t have gone through it without my amazing family and friends.
“I do have such a good circle behind me, everyone chipped in, and I never dwelled on the diagnosis too much. My mindset was that I was going to keep going no matter what.”
After eight rounds of chemotherapy, Shona had a PET/CT scan to check if the chemotherapy had worked. In February Shona was told she was in remission but would need PET scans every few months to monitor for any growth.
Shona added: “When they announced I was in remission, I felt an enormous sense of relief. I’m slowly going back to work, and I have a few things planned for coming up, which I’m looking forward to. I’m trying to raise as much awareness as possible and hopefully save someone’s life the way the doctor saved my life.”
The NHS says Hodgkin lymphoma is an uncommon cancer which develops in the lymphatic system – a network of vessels and glands spread throughout the body. The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin.
Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects people aged between 20 and 40, as well as those aged over 75. It can affect more men than women.