Why I Took a Break From My Business

Please note that this post has a *trigger warning - talk of illness* so if that's something you're not comfortable reading right now, please look after yourself and come back when you're ready.

Where have you been, Moll?

Hello again!

Some of you noticed that I spent most of 2022 away from my website, newsletter and Instagram. I just wanted to share an update as to where I've been.

At the start of 2022, shortly after my 27th Birthday, I was slapped in the face with a cancer diagnosis. Stage 2B Hodgkins Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that effects the lymph-nodes. So far I've been lucky enough to not even question my health, but now I had a new priority. I dropped everything and focused on getting well again.

Digging out the positives

I have been lucky enough to be a patient at the Christie hospital in Manchester where my nana was looked after and where the team have been INCREDIBLE. I was offered a place on an immunotherapy trial drug for two months and then chemotherapy for 6 months (12 fortnightly rounds). The treatment wiped me out but the lymphoma team always managed to prop me up and get me laughing again (huge shout out to Leanne and Joanna).

It might sound a bit odd saying that there have been positives to this challenge, but trust me, I was actively hunting them out!

Asking for help

I'm usually a very independent person and like to do what I can by myself. Letting go of control (or what control I had left) was a huge lesson for me.

I had to really rely on family and friends like I never had to before. Although I found it really difficult at first, when I started to get used to it, it was lovely to connect with them in this new way and they were actually glad to feel useful too.

New hair cut

When the time was right, my twin sister shaved my hair off for me, it was very matter of fact and we actually had a laugh doing it. I've been embracing my kiwi fruit style fuzzy haircut since then and have started to see my hair start to grow back.

Ringing the 'end of treatment' bell

Take Care

I'm sorry to my friends that are just hearing this news for the first time, I've kept this journey very close and really wasn't a fan of sharing the bad news, I wanted to wait until I could be sharing the good news that I am now cancer free.

Please keep an eye on your body and any changes, it's so easy to overlook things when we're busy. My symptoms appeared as a lump in my neck just above my right collar bone and persistent night sweats.

It can be a scary experience getting a cancer diagnosis but believe me, you are not alone. Please do get in touch if you are worried about anything- I am absolutely not a medical expert but I am a listening ear and a hand to hold if you're worried.

molly@mollynewport.co.uk

Molly

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Treats from my drawing journal x

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