Facebook/ Ashton PowellThis teenage girl who battled leukaemia at age 14 has now revealed how a common injury could actually be a sign of cancer.
Ashton Powell was devastatingly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, just eight days after her 14th birthday in 2014, News.com.au reports.
Thankfully, the Australian teen has now successfully beaten her battle with cancer, completed chemotherapy and gone back to school to continue her studies.
Facebook/ Ashton PowellHowever, the school girl has now revealed what she believed was a sports injury or common injury, actually turned out to be a sign of cancer.
Three years ago, Ashton started to develop symptoms of what she thought at the time was flu, but after she noticed unexplained bruising on her legs, she knew something was seriously wrong.
Facebook/ Ashton PowellShe told the Townsville Bulletin:
The next day we went to go see my doctor, Dr Aung. We asked him about it, then mum asked if I could get a blood test. He agreed.
About two hours later Dr Aung rang mum and told her to grab me and take me to the Townsville Hospital straight away.
A doctor came in and explained some stuff that I can’t even remember and that’s when she told us I had Leukaemia. After the doctor told us, mum started crying, dad was in shock and I was numb and speechless.
Ashton PowellShe stayed in the hospital over night and the next day was flown to Brisbane to receive treatment, although she didn’t expect to stay there for as long as she…
She continued:
It’s been two and a half years and I’m finally finished chemo treatment. Throughout the journey, I’ve been through some scary stuff, things a typical teenager shouldn’t have to see or experience.
There has been three occasions when I nearly faced death. The first and second time, I had a fungal infection in my lungs, that experience was so scary I can’t remember it.
Facebook/ Ashton PowellWith 10,000 people diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK every year, the teenager is now spreading her message about the warning signs to look out for.
She said:
I kicked cancer’s butt and I wouldn’t have been able to do that if it wasn’t for my mum, my brother and also my brother’s friends.
They may not know this but they helped me enjoy being alive.
Facebook/ Ashton PowellIt’s pretty scary the common bruise could actually be a sign of cancer of something much more sinister…
It seems it certainly pays to keep tabs on your body and check in if you’re not feeling well.
And a huge congratulations to Ashton for kicking cancer hard in the ass and sharing her hugely important message, which could potentially save someone’s life…
