A Leicestershire woman who was diagnosed with blood cancer at the age of 21 is sharing her story to encourage other young people to seek medical advice if something doesn’t feel right.
Izzy Darnes, from Narborough, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in June 2025 after feeling unwell for around a week. She initially put symptoms including extreme fatigue, unexplained bruising and a skin rash down to hay fever and everyday knocks.
Picture credit: Izzy Darnes
“I had no energy to do anything, which wasn’t like me,” she said. “I just assumed the bruises were from being clumsy while decorating my bedroom.”
After struggling to get a GP appointment, Izzy’s condition worsened and she was eventually referred to the GP Assessment Unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary, where tests later confirmed her diagnosis.
“Even then, I never thought it would be cancer,” she said. “In my head, I was far too young.”
Now 22, Izzy has undergone months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with treatment due to finish in April. She experienced serious complications, including a stomach infection, mobility problems that left her unable to walk for a month, and medical PTSD.
“Having my independence taken from me really hurt,” she said. “One minute life was normal, the next I was in hospital relying on others for everything.”
Since her diagnosis, Izzy has been supported by CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, and has set up a Special Named Fund, Izzy’s Legacy, to raise money for ALL research. She has already raised more than £3,700 through raffles, badge sales and fundraising at her mum’s salon.
“I needed something to give me purpose while I couldn’t work,” she said. “Izzy’s Legacy is my thing – something I can call my own.”
Izzy says raising awareness of cancer in young people is just as important as fundraising.
“If one person goes to the doctors because they’ve heard my story, and it means their cancer is caught earlier, then it’s worth it,” she said.
She added that her diagnosis has changed her outlook on life: “It makes you realise how precious life is – and probably makes you more compassionate too.”
More information about Izzy’s Legacy can be found at: https://specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/izzys-legacy/
