Brisbane mother Ange Lovejoy reveals life after shock lymphoma cancer diagnosis

When Ange Lovejoy pictured motherhood, it was a role she thought she’d tackle with the same tenacity and resolution she had approached every other life milestone.  

But after a pregnancy marred by ill health and an eventual weakened immune system, the 32-year-old from Brisbane knew the battle that lay ahead was unlike anything she had faced before. 

At first it was the severity of her symptoms, which left the mother-of-one reeling and in need of a diagnosis. 

Swollen legs to the point they turned purple, split skin, throbbing joints – and a level of pain that eventually left her bed bound and unable to walk. 

Ange Lovejoy (pictured, right, with her partner Scott and daughter Raven) imagined motherhood, it was a role she thought she’d tackle with the same tenacity and resolution she had approached every other life milestone 

But after a pregnancy marred by ill health and an eventual weakened immune system, the 32-year-old from Brisbane knew the battle that lay ahead was unlike anything she had faced before

But after a pregnancy marred by ill health and an eventual weakened immune system, the 32-year-old from Brisbane knew the battle that lay ahead was unlike anything she had faced before

Doctors brushed it off as an unknown auto-immune disease – and swiftly sent Ange back to her GP.

‘They did some tests but it seemed like they couldn’t wait to get me out (of the hospital) while I was still having Fentanyl injections in my stomach to cope with the pain,’ she told Daily Mail Australia. 

‘I managed to stay out of hospital for two days in absolute agony and went to my GP as soon as she opened and I was sent straight to the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

‘I spent a month there, which was really difficult. No one had any idea what was wrong with me – they still thought it was autoimmune.’ 

Within months of her daughter Raven’s birth in Febuary this year, a life once dominated by ultra-marathons and weekly five-kilometre fun runs was ruled by medical tests, crippling pain and teams of doctors left scratching their heads.  

Ange was forced to quit her newly-promoted job in project management and the young family now has to rely solely on the income of her partner Scott.

Finally, in late August the long awaited – but dreaded – diagnosis came. 

Despite her severe symptoms, doctors terrifyingly brushed Ange's illness off as a unknown auto-immune disease - and swiftly sent her back to her GP

Despite her severe symptoms, doctors terrifyingly brushed Ange’s illness off as a unknown auto-immune disease – and swiftly sent her back to her GP

Within months of her daughter Raven's birth in Febuary this year, a life once dominated by ultra-marathons and weekly five-kilometre fun runs was ruled by medical tests, crippling pain and teams of doctors left scratching their heads

Within months of her daughter Raven’s birth in Febuary this year, a life once dominated by ultra-marathons and weekly five-kilometre fun runs was ruled by medical tests, crippling pain and teams of doctors left scratching their heads

Ange had blood cancer, specifically B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

While lymphoma is often seen as one of the most treatable cancers, Ange’s form was among the rarest. It was also stage four and ultimately, incurable.  

‘I’ll never be cancer free, I’ll never beat it,’ she said. 

‘They’re giving me chemo from next week and other drugs which will hopefully freeze the cancer for a while but it will continue to grow and I’ll have to do it again in the future.

‘It’s just going to be about living with a deal of uncertainty we never thought we would.’  

While lymphoma is often seen as one of the most treatable cancers, Ange's form was among the rarest. It was also stage four and ultimately, incurable. 'I'll never be cancer free, I'll never beat it,' she said

While lymphoma is often seen as one of the most treatable cancers, Ange’s form was among the rarest. It was also stage four and ultimately, incurable. ‘I’ll never be cancer free, I’ll never beat it,’ she said

Compounding the family’s woes is their landlord’s decision to sell their home – leaving Ange, Scott and Raven with just a month’s notice before the forced move.

Luckily for the trio, community support has been widespread, with a close friend starting a GoFundMe in a bid to ease financial pressure.   

The move comes weeks before Ange is due to start her first 18-week stint of chemotherapy. 

But despite the seemingly grim prognosis, more than 80 per cent of people battling the same strain of lymphoma survive for more than five years.    

‘We’re just going to have to learn how to live with it and the uncertainty that comes with it,’ she said. 

Despite the seemingly grim prognosis, more than 80 per cent of people battling the same strain of lymphoma survive for more than five years and the family after hopeful for the future

Despite the seemingly grim prognosis, more than 80 per cent of people battling the same strain of lymphoma survive for more than five years and the family after hopeful for the future

‘Now we can’t just go ‘well, we’re going to do this in ten years’. We’ve had to do the ‘adulting’ and answer the hard questions about what we want for our future.’ 

Included in that those hopeful plans is a sibling for Raven and living ‘as normal as possible for as long as possible’ – approached with the same tenacity and resolution she always has.

‘It’s difficult relying on other people when I’ve always been so independent and driven – in workplaces and in my personal life,’ she said.

‘But you can’t sit in a gutter and cry about it when it comes down to it, you just have to get down to business and get things done.’ 

To support Ange Lovejoy and her family, find her GoFundMe here. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk