Wirral primary school teacher Caitlin McAlinden, 24, initially attributed her nausea, fatigue and a lump the size of a golf ball on her neck, to her pregnancy.
The mum-to-be said, "This isn't the pregnancy I was hoping for - I haven't felt well this entire time. Everything I want to do after my baby is born has to be put on pause due to the chemo." From the onset, her first trimester was turbulent. She suspected she was battling an extreme form of morning sickness as she would vomit at least once daily and nod off sporadically during the day.
Her partner, Connor, 27, a procurement manager, told Caitlin she needed to see a doctor as soon as possible. She visited her GP on January 2 and was referred for an initial ultrasound on her neck. Caitln said: "My doctor's whole demeanour changed when I said I had a family history of it. I went for a blood test on the same day."