A 20-year-old lad is sharing his shock cancer diagnosis journey in a bid to get more young people to check their unusual symptoms, as he joins the NHS in raising awareness for Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Jack Cooper from Middlesbrough was due to start training as an apprentice until he found a lump on his neck that seemed quite unusual.
He initially dismissed it but a sudden weight loss caught Jack’s attention.
The culmination of a growing lump on Jack’s neck and unexplained weight loss prompted him to seek medical advice from a GP.
“If I had caught the cancer earlier, my life would have been much easier”
In March 2025, Jack Cooper was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymphatic system and affects thousands of people in the UK every year.
He said: “It was a shock discovering I had a lymphoma, as some of the symptoms at the time were easily ignored. For example, weight loss as I was working two jobs and was trying to lose weight at the same time.
“I knew a little about lymphoma already since I studied relevant areas in college; however, since it was one of those things you never expect getting yourself, I didn’t catch on to what I had till the symptoms were more severe.”
The Middlesbrough resident believes that most young people are not aware of any cancer symptoms, as there is often a misconception that cancer affects only older people. Therefore, the symptoms may be missed only for the cancer to develop even further and cause extensive harm.
He added: “I believe if I had caught the lymphoma much earlier, my time and treatment would have been easier throughout the past few months.”
Jack started his initial treatment at The James Cook University Hospital in May 2025, where he received a six-cycle course of BEACOPDAC chemotherapy, which is a type of chemotherapy aimed at treating advanced-stage cases of Hodgkin lymphoma.
He is sharing his story in a bid to raise awareness among youngsters, and he is urging anyone with unusual symptoms to get them checked.
All I can say to everyone is, if you feel like something is wrong – a random lump that won’t go, sweating a bit too often, weight loss or anything out of the ordinary – please get your symptoms checked.
“It hurts no one to get it checked out. Better safe than sorry.
“I think checking symptoms should be a common practice, especially in young people as they are the ones who you least expect to get cancer,” added Jack.
“Cancer affects everyone – regardless of age”
Since 2021, 52 individuals between 18 and 24 years have had a first admission for cancer at either James Cook or Friarage Hospital.
Georgia Mackey, Teenage Cancer Trust teenage and young adult clinical nurse specialist (CNS), says that cancer affects everyone, regardless of age.
She added: “As a teenage and young adult (TYA) CNS, I have been privileged to support Jack throughout his diagnosis and treatment.
The TYA service focuses on delivering personalised, age-appropriate care that meets the unique medical and emotional needs of young people. Our care doesn’t stop when treatment is completed.
“Life after cancer comes with new challenges, and my role ensures no young person faces these challenges alone.”