Billie, from Derbyshire, was on holiday in Spain when she noticed the first signs something was seriously wrong
A teen model who thought she had a cold was devastated when doctors revealed the cause of her symptoms. Life was just beginning for Billie Williams, who had just started professionally modelling and was enjoying a holiday to Spain with her family when she noticed a lump under her arm.
Having other symptoms of a cold, including a lingering cough, the then-13-year-old brushed it off as raised lymph nodes, but when they grew bigger, she knew there was something more concerning. Blood work and scans soon found the cause, and Billie’s parents, Emma and Nick, were given the news that she had Hodgkin lymphoma, an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system.
“It was so surreal,” said the teenager, from Derbyshire. “Even though I thought it could be cancer, I was still shocked when I heard the news. I thought: ‘No way’. We all cried.”
Billie, who had signed with a modelling agency two years prior at the age of 11, had no idea anything was wrong with her health until she discovered the lump on holiday in July 2022. She said, “I noticed it while I was in an inflatable ring, as the lump was rubbing against it, and it felt sore. I then spotted a couple more lumps in my neck. We assumed that my lymph nodes were raised as I’d had Covid and a cold, but in the back of my mind, I did wonder if it could be cancer.
“We came home, and I didn’t go to the doctors straight away as I assumed that the lumps would go down by themselves. My cough was lingering, and I was struggling to sleep lying down.”
Billie went to the GP with her mum, Emma, and the doctor advised her to come back if the lymph nodes were still swollen in four weeks. But the lump continued to swell and become painful, even leaving the teenager in tears at times.
After a more thorough examination, she was referred to the hospital for further testing and a chest X-ray, which found a mass pressing on her windpipe. Billie opted not to be in the room when the results were shared with her parents.
Emma said, “When I was told Billie had cancer, I felt numb and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I felt like my whole world just fell apart. I felt sick and was shaking.
“Billie wasn’t in the room with me at this point, and the consultant decided not to tell Billie just yet, but to tell her that she had to go for further tests. I know she knew that there was something not quite right. It absolutely devastated me.”
Billie was referred to the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the hospital the day she was diagnosed, and has been supported by the charity ever since. She had a biopsy taken of the lump and started chemotherapy a week later, in September 2022.
Sadly, she suffered a bad reaction to the medication, and Billie had to remain in hospital for a week and be tube-fed. She said: “I felt really lethargic, lost a lot of weight and needed a wheelchair.”
Blood transfusions helped, and she went on to have four rounds of chemotherapy as scans showed the cancer was still present. Emma said, “Watching Billie go through chemotherapy was heartbreaking. I myself couldn’t eat and lost about one stone with worry.
“I just couldn’t believe what was happening. It all happened so quickly. My poor girl, at the age of 13, was diagnosed with cancer.”
Throughout her ordeal, Billie was kept entertained with events arranged in the hospital by Teenage Cancer Trust, and she even made some close friends who were going through similar battles. A scan on 20 December 2022 found that she was finally clear of cancer and was able to go home for Christmas.
While she had been out of school for the entirety of her treatment, Billie was able to return in September 2024, where people had learned of her health issues. She decided to be home-schooled for a period after she experienced cruel comments about her appearance.
She said: “Because I’d lost so much weight and lost some of my hair, I struggled to look in the mirror without thinking: ‘Who is this person?’ I didn’t recognise myself.”
But, over time, Billie regained a healthy weight and felt comfortable returning to school and normality. She said: “Cancer helped me realise that small things that I used to worry about weren’t that deep and not a big deal. It also made me grateful for small things, like being able to have a shower or a bath, because I struggled to do that during treatment due to the risk of getting an infection because of my Hickman line.
“I struggled to go to the shops during treatment, so I appreciate small things like that, and bigger things like being able to eat and drink properly.”
Billie has been able to return to modelling and applied for Miss Teen Great Britain. She has made it through to the finals of the competition, which takes place next month in Blackpool.
Billie said, “It feels surreal being in the finals of Miss Teen Great Britain. It shows you can get through the worst and still do amazing things. It also feels amazing that I’m able to inspire other young girls to chase their dreams while also recognising their self-worth and the importance of all of the things you can achieve.”
Billie is also backing Teenage Cancer Trust’s #StillMe campaign, shining a light on the impact that changes to appearance caused by cancer and treatment can have on body image. She added, “The number one piece of advice that I would give people with cancer about their appearance would be to have confidence in yourself.
“You’ll get back to how you were eventually, even if you feel right now that it could be forever away. The illness doesn’t make you any less beautiful.”