Here is a little something about my journey:
It all started during lockdown in 2020 with a little rash and itchy skin. I put it down to sitting on the sand on the beach and being bitten. Once the rash disappeared I developed a dry persistent cough.
I was homeschooling 2 kids, running my business from home and just trying to survive lockdown number who knows what! I eventually tried to see my GP for the cough but didn’t get very far as it was a symptom of COVID so nobody wanted to see me.
I persisted as I knew something wasn’t right, I was given a chest X-ray followed by a CT scan and was told to go to emergency.
December 17th 2020 was the day I’ll never forget, being diagnosed with Non Hodgkin Large B cell Lymphoma. The dreaded C word you never want to hear…
In that minute my whole world as I knew it turned upside down for me and my family. Telling my husband and children was awful, I felt guilty for creating fear and concern in them.
I feel angry for what it stole from me and also very grateful for the lessons I learnt along the way and the support of those around me.
I started my chemotherapy straight away, 6 rounds of R – EPOCH followed by R ICE. Unfortunately these treatments didn’t work and my next journey was a stem cell transplant but that never happened as my lymphoma grew whilst having Chemotherapy.
My next line of treatment was CAR T and I’m thrilled to say I beat it and I’m so grateful to have had the chance for CAR T**.
You find strength you never knew existed and appreciate the little things even more.
2023. I am now over a year out from CAR T and still clear! I am looking forward to a great 2023.
To acknowledge my experience with Lymphoma and to hopefully help others, I am joining the very important cause “Legs Out for Lymphoma” to raise funds for Lymphoma Australia. I also take part in “September Lymphoma Awareness Month” and was proud to be a Patient Advocate in Canberra this year to help shine the limelight on lymphoma and to speak about my CAR T experience.
** CAR T-cell Therapy – Tahli was one of the first patients to access the Yescarta CAR T-cell program funded by the PBS. To find out more about this newer treatment and if it is right for you, go to: www.lymphoma.org.au/media/new-cart-available-therapy/
