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“I never thought it could be cancer – but it was.”
Kate Smith, diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) at 30, tells her Spot Leukaemia story.
Looking back, the signs were there, but I didn’t see them for what they were.
I’m Kate and I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) when I was 30. At the time, I was working full-time, raising my daughter, and just trying to keep up with the busy pace of life. I had no idea that something serious was going on in my body. Like many others, I just didn’t know what to look for.
It started with constant infections, ear, throat, chest, you name it. I went back and forth to the GP and was given antibiotics each time. They helped a little, but the infections never fully cleared. On top of that, I was absolutely exhausted, not just tired, but completely drained. I blamed it on being busy and stressed. That felt like the obvious explanation.
I remember being away with my partner one October and feeling unbelievably ill. I genuinely thought it was COVID. I was coughing, had a high temperature, zero energy, and I wasn’t eating. But test after test came back negative. I ended up calling 111 in the early hours and was sent to the hospital. More antibiotics. That became a pattern.
At the same time, I was losing weight very quickly, but I had been trying to lose a bit, so when I saw the pounds dropping, I wasn’t alarmed.
Things came to a head when I noticed a large, dark bruise on my thigh. It seemed odd, but I thought maybe I’d knocked it while hoovering. A few days later, it had grown bigger. My partner encouraged me to get it checked, just in case it was something like a blood clot.
I went back to hospital expecting, yet again, more antibiotics or a minor procedure. Instead, my blood tests raised red flags, and things moved quickly from there. I was moved to a COVID unit while they ruled it out, but deep down, I knew I didn’t have it. I just didn’t realise what else it could be.
Then, a haematology consultant in full PPE arrived with a team. That moment will never leave me. She explained that based on my blood results, they suspected CML. I would need a bone marrow test to confirm it, and I was admitted to intensive care right away. I hadn’t come in thinking I’d be staying. I was just trying to get my daughter ready for school that morning.
By Monday, the diagnosis was confirmed, CML. It was surreal. I had cancer. I hadn’t seen it coming. I didn’t look or feel like someone with cancer, and I hadn’t connected my symptoms to something so serious.
I started treatment immediately. First came a “blasting” drug to bring things under control. Then I was started on a type of medication called a TKI (tyrosine kinase inhibitor). I’ve since switched between different TKIs, Imatinib, Dasatinib, and now Asciminib, as some stopped being effective over time.
The fatigue has never really gone away. I still ache, especially in my legs. And emotionally, it’s been a rollercoaster. Being diagnosed during COVID meant I spent ten days in hospital with no visitors, just me and FaceTime. It was lonely, scary, and mentally exhausting.
My daughter kept me going the whole time. She has always been my motivation. I focus on showing up for her, and that helps me stay strong. Life hasn’t stopped, and I don’t want it to.
I’m lucky to have a supportive partner, family, and workplace. But even with that, there are times when it feels like people forget I have leukaemia—because I “look well.” And while I’m grateful for that, it can also feel isolating. Just because someone looks okay doesn’t mean they’re not fighting a battle.
I wish I’d known more about the signs and symptoms earlier. I wish there was more awareness, more posters, more campaigns, more noise about leukaemia. It’s a hidden illness. You can’t see it, and unless people know what to look for, they won’t get help until it’s serious.
That’s why I’m sharing my story.
If you’ve been feeling exhausted for no reason, if you keep getting infections, if you’re losing weight without trying, please, get it checked. Ask for blood tests. Trust your instincts. I didn’t, and I wish I had.
And if you’ve just been diagnosed, know this: you’re not alone. There’s amazing support out there, from your medical team, from charities like Leukaemia Care, and from people like me who’ve been through it. Ask questions. Take it one day at a time.
CML isn’t what I planned for. But I’m still here, still living, still showing up, and that’s something to be proud of.
What to do if you have any of the symptoms of leukaemia?
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms in this story, you need should speak to your GP and ask for a blood test. It might not be leukaemia, but it could be something else, so it’s important you get it checked out.