Maja Marković, a member of the Association of Patients with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, first noticed symptoms that she initially thought were an infection about 20 years ago. She never imagined that she would be diagnosed with a disease that would completely change her life.
- Maja Marković noticed strange symptoms 2 decades ago, including fever, fatigue and night sweats.
- Doctors discovered after a few months that he was suffering from Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Maja underwent a bone marrow transplant, which was able to suppress the spread of the disease.
Hidden warning signs
“My symptoms were typical for most patients with this type of cancer. Especially before going to bed, I had a mild fever of 37.2 to 37.3°C. Then fatigue, weakness, cough and severe night sweats appeared, for which I often had to change my pajamas,” said Maja.
At first, she did not consider these symptoms to be serious because she was young and had two children to care for. But when she couldn’t get rid of them even after a few months, she decided to seek help. The symptoms could easily be mistaken for various viral or bacterial infections. After making the correct diagnosis, the doctor immediately sent her to a hematologist specializing in the treatment of lymphomas.
Maya was suffering from symptoms that could be mistaken for a less serious condition. (illustrative photo)
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“I underwent a bone marrow transplant, followed by maintenance treatment and regular check-ups. Ultimately, when this type of cancer is detected early, it can be managed,” remarked Maja. Although it is now easier for her to talk about her experience, she revealed that the diagnosis was extremely difficult for her.
“It’s been difficult to accept that I have a life-threatening illness. I also can’t come to terms with the fact that I’m never truly healthy. The disease is under control, but the therapies can have side effects that often show up ten years later“, she added.
Maja therefore drew attention to the importance of psychological support, which should come not only from doctors, but also from loved ones. “It’s crucial because such diseases don’t just affect one person. They have a great influence on the whole family“, she concluded.
This article comes from the Ringier publishing partner website. The content and data contained in it were taken without editorial intervention.
