One Step at a Time! Jordan's Story Artwork

Cancer Twins

Welcome to the Cancer Twins channel where we discuss all things about living with and beating cancer from our own personal perspectives. This is about taking the good with the bad and discussing what it’s really like to both live with - and also have a close family living with - cancer treatment. We talk about what it’s like, both from a physical and emotion point of view. We hope talking about our own experiences is as helpful for others to hear as it is for us to discuss. Sharing is caring! We are siblings that find ourselves in the unusual situation of both having developed cancer at a young age. Gregory is a young adult that has beaten cancer. He was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma when he was a teenager, a rare and aggressive variety that usually effects young boys. Charlotte, now in her mid-thirties, had just got married when she recently discovered she has breast cancer - very unusual for a woman of her age. She now faces the tough journey that she had to live through with her brother. Now with their roles reversed, they discuss their journeys with a frank but positive outlook in the hope that talking about these tough subjects will make it easier for others to discuss, understand and accept. *Content warning. This channel deals with difficult and adult subject matters related to the reality of living with cancer and is not suitable for all audiences. It also includes the occasional swear word, so is not suitable for younger children or those that are offended by bad language. Although the subject matter can be upsetting, the outlooks of the participants remain entirely positive!

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Cancer Twins

One Step at a Time! Jordan's Story

November 22, 2022 • Charlotte & Greg • Season 2 • Episode 8

In this episode Charlotte & Greg talk to Jordan, a young thyroid cancer survivor, who had been unknowingly suffering with the condition for years.

As a teenager, Jordan experienced many symptoms and illnesses that were constantly attributed to having a young and busy lifestyle. However, when she found a large lump on her neck, she knew it wasn’t normal, and kept returning to the doctor’s until it was finally taken seriously. All came to a head eventually during covid, where she experienced extreme tiredness and fatigue, which could no longer be explained away by a busy social life.

Bizarrely, although her blood’s came back not indicating any issue with her thyroid, the biopsy of the lump in her neck showed it was thyroid cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes in her neck. Luckily for Jordan, thyroid cancer is a slow growing cancer, so it hadn’t spread beyond that before it was caught. However, it is scary to think she could have had the cancer in her body for 5-10 years, undetected.

It also explained the wide varieties of symptoms she had experienced across the years, and so (in a way) was a relief to finally have a diagnosis and be able to treat the issues. The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate metabolism - controlling heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance.

Over a year on from her surgery, Jordan (just turning 23) is still facing a battle to get her health back to a normal level for her age, and continues with ongoing physiotherapy, rehabilitation and hormone treatment.

However, she remains positive about her future and wants to help to inspire other teenage/young cancer sufferers to know that they’re not alone and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Just take one step at a time!

Jordan has been raising awareness with the Teenage Cancer Trust and Stand Up to Cancer campaigns. You can follow Jordan’s video blog on instagram @jordansthyroidcancerjourney

Jordan also talked about the valuable financial support she received from both Young Lives VS Cancer and Macmillan cancer support. Support links can be found below:

https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/life-with-cancer/i-have-cancer/money/

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/financial-and-work/financial-guidance-help-line

People on this episode

Charlotte

Host

Greg

Co-host