Woman, 19, thought she had a cold but it was actually a deadly form of cancer
A nursing student who visited her doctor after experiencing cold symptoms was told she had an aggressive form of cancer and left thinking she was 'going to die'.
Ayley Crawford, 21, noticed she had been suffering repeated colds and sinus infections at 19, just as she started her nursing degree at Glasgow Caledonian University in the UK.
Alongside this, Ayley was constantly ‘feeling weak and exhausted’. However, when she fainted during an exam, she knew ‘something wasn’t right’.
The teen then went to see her doctor, who took a blood test and referred her to University Hospital Wishaw with suspected diabetes.
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However, after several tests, Ayley was told she had acute myeloid leukemia.
According to the Mayo Clinic, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is ‘a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow’, which can cause rapid onset of fatigue.
'I knew something was wrong with me'
The disease develops quickly and requires urgent treatment.
“My first thought was ‘I’m going to die’,” Ayley said. “I knew something was wrong with me, but I never thought it would turn out to be cancer.”
Due to the aggressiveness of the cancer, the teen started treatment immediately and underwent four cycles of chemotherapy, in which she experienced side effects including hair thinning and sickness.
AML accounts for around one out of three leukemias in adults and for about one percent of all cancers in the US, the American Cancer Society states.
'The anxiety around relapse will never leave'
In November 2024, Ayley was told she was in remission and was planning to go back to university. However, in a devastating turn just months later, in March 2025, she was told she had relapsed, following a routine bone marrow biopsy.
Ayley said it was a ‘complete shock’ as she was feeling completely fine within herself, and was absolutely devastated when she received the news.
This time, Ayley needed a stem cell transplant and fortunately, a donor was found in Australia. She was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for the transplant in July 2025, and said it was ‘the worst thing she’d ever endured’.
Ayley, who is now in remission almost a year later, had to isolate for three months after the transplant and suffered horrible side effects from her medication, including rashes and swelling on her eyes.
“I’m so grateful for the treatment I received, but the anxiety around relapse will never leave,” she said.
The 21-year-old said if she had to pull a positive from the situation, it would be that she believes her experience will make her a ‘better nurse’.
“I was really glad I was studying nursing as it made the medical terms so much easier and I could explain everything clearly to friends and family,” she said, and is now considering going into oncology.
Fiona Hazell, Chief Executive of Leukaemia UK, says she’s ‘extremely grateful’ that Ayley shared her story, adding: “Early diagnosis saves lives, so we want to make sure more people are aware of the signs and symptoms, and to contact their GP to ask for a Full Blood Count test if they’re experiencing them.”
What are the symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia?
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of AML can include:
- Fever
- Pain, commonly found in the bones, back and stomach
- Tiredness
- Paleness or a change in skin color
- Frequent infections
- Bruising easily
- Bleeding with no clear cause, such as in the nose or gums
- Shortness of breath
The sites notes: “Acute myelogenous leukemia symptoms are like those of many more-common conditions, such as infections. The healthcare professional may check for those causes first.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Kiesha Dosanjh