Student’s 'cold symptoms' turn out to be agressive form of blood cancer after collapse

A 19-year-old nursing student who initially believed she was battling a lingering cold fainted during an exam, only to later discover she had an aggressive form of blood cancer.

Ayley Crawford, now 21, began feeling persistently unwell in March 2024 while studying in Scotland, experiencing recurring sinus infections, fatigue, and weakness that left her struggling to stand.

At the time, she assumed she was dealing with a stubborn illness that would pass.

Her condition escalated when she collapsed during an exam, prompting further medical evaluation. “I just knew something wasn’t right,” she recalled.

Weeks of tests later brought a devastating diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia, a fast-progressing and life-threatening form of blood cancer.

“My first thought was, ‘I’m going to die,’” Crawford said. “I knew something was wrong with me, but I never thought it would turn out to be cancer.”

She immediately began intensive chemotherapy, completing four cycles of treatment. Crawford described severe side effects, including constant nausea and hair thinning, but said she remained focused on returning to normal life.

By November 2024, she was told she was in remission. However, the relief was short-lived. In March 2025, doctors confirmed the cancer had returned.

“I was devastated,” she said. “It felt like everything I went through had been for nothing.”

Crawford later underwent a stem cell transplant in July 2025, describing it as the most difficult period of her life.

She experienced severe complications, including digestive ulcers, significant weight loss and extended isolation to avoid infection risk.

“I wasn’t allowed out of my room for five weeks,” she said, adding that even basic movement became exhausting.

The treatment also affected her physically and emotionally, with visible side effects impacting her self-image during her early adulthood.

Despite the setbacks, Crawford is now once again in remission. She says recovery has brought relief, but also lasting anxiety.

“The anxiety around relapse will never leave,” she said. “It was all taken away from me in the blink of an eye.”

Reflecting on her journey, Crawford said the experience has reshaped her outlook on life and her future career.

She believes it will ultimately make her a more empathetic nurse and is now hoping to return to her studies.

“I was really glad I was studying nursing,” she said. “It made everything easier to understand, and I could explain things to my family.”