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A superfit Scots woman was diagnosed with leukaemia after finding herself breathless and having to constantly stop on a 10k race.
Emma Sinclair, 35, was a keen runner who also enjoyed yoga and pilates. The HR worker put her initial symptoms down to coronavirus.
It wasn’t until she was rushed to hospital after collapsing at home, that she was told she had the blood cancer.
Emma, from Greenock, said: “It was the middle of the pandemic in October 2021 and I’d had a viral infection for a week. I took numerous Covid tests as I thought it was Covid but they were all negative.
“Then one day I woke up feeling awful and started vomiting blood. I tried to rest but later that day I stood up from the sofa to go and get some water and collapsed.”
(Image: Leukaemia UK)
After dialling 999, Emma was rushed to A&E at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, where x-rays, scans and blood tests revealed she had a burst stomach ulcer. She was immediately transferred to the critical care ward at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where she spent three weeks after having several surgeries to try and repair her ulcer.
But further tests revealed devastating news; Emma was told that she had a rare case of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) on her 34th birthday on October 5, 2021. Once medics were able to control her stomach ulcer and internal bleeding, Emma was put onto a gruelling round of chemotherapy.
(Image: Leukaemia UK)
After five weeks, she was allowed to return home. Following her diagnosis and battle with the blood cancer, Emma wants others to look out for the “red flag symptoms” such as sweats, aches, bleeding and shortness of breath.
She said: “Looking back now I was displaying all the red flag symptoms such as night sweats, bone/joint pain, bruising/bleeding, shortness of breath and fatigue. I remember running a 10K about a month before and having to stop quite a lot. I never had to stop before. I was wondering why do I need to stop?
“I was always into yoga and Pilates prior to my diagnosis. I have managed to keep these up after I got of hospital and recovered and I feel these exercises really help me combat my fatigue, which is a side effect from the leukaemia. It also helps me breathe and be in the moment”
While Emma is not yet in remission, she continues to make good progress with her blood levels steadily coming down.
She said: “Hopefully by the time I get to my two year mark, I’ll be there or close to remission. I just take it one day at a time and realise although I have this condition I need to live with it and it shouldn’t stop me from living life.
“I’ve learned how important it is to listen to your body and if there is something not right, go get checked. The whole experience has made me realise how precious life is and how I feel like I have had a second chance.
“I know my body more now and know when to rest and what it can do and what it can’t do. It’s also made me more aware of the signs and symptoms and my friends and family are also very aware of this now.”
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