Young woman who hid cancer fears behind 21st birthday smiles battles back to beat disease
A courageous young woman who hid cancer fears behind smiles at her 21st birthday has battled back to beat the disease.
Chloe Reid, 23, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma - an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system - on March 8, 2023. She looked picture perfect in the weeks beforehand as she posed in photos to mark her 21st birthday in December 2022.
But behind the smiles, Chloe was masking worries about a lump in her neck and constant tiredness. The health care assistant, from Aberdeen, went on to receive several biopsies and was told she had cancer that had spread to some lymph nodes under her arm.
Speaking of her diagnosis at the time, Chloe said: "When doctors told me I had cancer it felt like I'd walked into someone else's life, a life much more frightening than mine.
"It forced me to make a lot of decisions at a young age like, 'do I want to have kids one day?' There were days when I cried and life felt cruel.
"I think I will ask why for the rest of my life. But cancer also opened my eyes and made me appreciate the special people in my life. I faced some of the most challenging moments of my life at 21."
Chloe underwent surgery, several gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and hormone treatment to freeze some of her eggs.
In July 2023, she rang the bell at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to mark what she hoped was the end of treatment.
However, she was hit with a further blow when scans later that summer showed lumps on her collarbone and armpit.
Her final chemotherapy session followed on September 27, 2023 - a date so significant she now has it tattooed on her right arm.
Now in remission, Chloe was guest of honour at Cancer Research UK's Race for Life in Aberdeen on Sunday.
She completed the 5k event and was cheered by family and friends as she crossed the finish line with her boyfriend Jack McGinness who had supported her every step of the way through treatment.
Chloe's brother, Thomas Reid, 26, and his girlfriend Lydia Buchan, 24, also took part.
Chloe said: 'I am grateful I can take part in Race for Life this year and I am so grateful to be doing it with my biggest supporter Jack.
'I have the best family and we're closer than ever. Almost everybody goes through some hard stuff in their lives. I've just been through mine young.
"Life is good. I'm proud to support research for people going through cancer right now and to help find better treatments for people in the future.'
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Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK's spokeswoman in Scotland, said: 'We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in Race for Life Aberdeen.
'No matter how cancer affects us, life is worth racing for. Sadly nearly one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime but all of us can support the research that will beat it.
"We're proud that Race for Life has had such a positive impact. Every pound raised supports our life-saving work, which has helped double cancer survival in the UK over the last 50 years.
'It was a fantastic day at Race for Life Aberdeen, full of emotion, courage, tears, laughter and hope as people celebrated the lives of those dear to them who have survived cancer and remembered loved ones lost to the disease.
'Now we're asking everyone who took part to return the money they're raised as soon as possible. Every donation, every pound raised will make a real difference."
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