In 2016, LJ was 19 and on the brink of an exciting new chapter. He had graduated from college with grades good enough to secure a place at university and was ready to explore the world. Then he discovered what seemed like an innocuous lump in his neck.
“I remember finding a big old lump in my neck,” he says. “And I was getting really tired all the time. It was becoming a hindrance.”
After a trip to the doctor, LJ remained confident it was “just an infection”, so he ignored follow-up appointments until he was urgently called back in for his test results. “The doctor told me straight up, ‘This is leukaemia,’” says LJ. “I remember thinking, ‘Cancer at my age? No way.’ I didn’t even know what leukaemia was.”
We spoke to LJ about his cancer journey, how photography became a vital tool in helping him cope with a year of intensive treatment, and how Macmillan Cancer Support was there for him – helping him make key decisions at a pivotal time in his life.
LJ’s story: a life-changing diagnosis
In 2016, LJ was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that demands immediate treatment. Rather than diving headfirst into student life, he was facing a long spell in hospital, with a poor prognosis and an expected survival rate of just 5%.
“I was confined to a hospital bed, having chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, a stem cell transplant… It was insane,” says LJ. “I was getting cut up, needles left and right…”
“The most challenging part is when you hear it’s not working,” he continues. “Chemo is not working, radiotherapy is not working, surgery is not working. There is a lot of noise – you hear a lot of upset. Not everything is going to go your way, no matter how hard you think and believe it will.”
An escape through photography
Before his diagnosis, LJ had been a typical teenager, exploring his creativity, travelling, skateboarding and spending time with friends in London. Within days, he found himself “isolated to a room or a ward” and, worse, he says, “there was no timeline”.
Life had seemingly ground to a halt, but while the physical walls closed in around LJ, he discovered that photography and filming allowed the world to open up again. By documenting his experiences through photography and making vlogs, he found an escape – a creative outlet and a way to begin making sense of what was happening to him.
“I had a small camera back then,” he says. “A Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II. I used to make little vlogs of my journey – snippets of me getting my blood checked, being on the hospital bed, going through my stem cell transplant… going through radiotherapy.”
“Photography really allowed me to express my emotions without having to leave the hospital,” he continues. “I could capture what I was feeling and just enjoy being creative. That was really fun, and being able to express myself helped.”
Support from Macmillan at a critical time
It was also during this tumultuous period of treatment that LJ came across literature from Macmillan – leaflets that helped him make key decisions about his future. “I got a pamphlet from Macmillan and it was talking about cancer and fertility,” he says.
“You can’t have kids after too many procedures, as your sperm basically doesn’t work anymore,” says LJ who underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant, all of which can affect fertility. “Not the way it used to. I remember reading those facts and figures, and I started to understand what I was going through.”
LJ is now in remission and while it has been 10 years since his diagnosis, the support he received from Macmillan has had a lasting legacy. “If it wasn’t for that booklet,” says LJ, “I think I would have put myself in a position that I would have looked back on and regretted.”
Gifts in wills help to fund over a third of Macmillan services, including the resources LJ used, ensuring Macmillan can keep providing trusted cancer information and support through its support line, website, booklets, online community, and centres across the UK. Having access to clear information and direct support from Macmillan gave LJ the clarity he needed to make decisions about sperm preservation at a critical moment.
Why leave a gift in your will to Macmillan Cancer Support?
As LJ looks forward to marking 10 years since his diagnosis, his life has transformed and he’s now carving out a career as a talented fashion and events photographer. You can visit his portfolio here. He also works alongside Macmillan as a storyteller, helping to raise cancer awareness among young men.
“Macmillan has really helped me talk about my story and get it heard. If that can inspire someone, encourage them to keep going, or to keep fighting for their life, then yeah – I’m happy with that.”
On average someone is diagnosed with cancer in the UK every 90 seconds. LJ knows how important it was to receive the support from Macmillan when he needed it most. He has a special message for those considering leaving a gift in their will.
“So many people get a cancer diagnosis every day. While no third party is ever going to know 100% how you feel, it helps to have people who can explain things about your cancer that you never knew. Macmillan is out there doing that.”
Macmillan’s support helped LJ make sense of what was happening to him, so he could focus on what he loves doing most. A gift in your will makes it possible for Macmillan to do whatever it takes to help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are. To find out more about how to leave a gift in your will to Macmillan Cancer Support, order your free Gifts in Wills guide.
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