Nineteen-year-old college student Maddie experiences an odd sensation on her neck. A quick internet search uncovers shocking revelations.
Melbourne, Australia - A rare form of cancer took Maddie King, a healthy 19-year-old university student, by surprise when she was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma. The university student, now 25, had been preparing to embark on the adventure of a lifetime in Los Angeles when she discovered hard lumps in her neck.
Initially, the Sydney-based student didn't noticed the lumps, but they had been growing for years. When they became apparent, she was diagnosed with the most advanced form of blood cancer.
Maddie's symptoms started with a cough, night sweats, and the discovery of a few perplexing lumps - symptoms that seemed benign on their own. Her doctors were initially uncertain about what ailed her, as scans and biopsies came back inconclusive. They prescribed her antibiotics, suspecting she had pneumonia. But Maddie knew something wasn't right.
Having a nagging feeling that her health was at risk, Maddie reached for her smartphone and started researching. It soon became clear to her that her symptoms pointed towards cancer. The fear gnawed at her as she packed for her semester abroad in Los Angeles with a suitcase full of medical records and a sense of unease.
It was the university doctor in LA who finally urged Maddie to act urgently: "You need to fly home and get an excision biopsy." She returned to Sydney in October 2019. Days later, she received a formal diagnosis - stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The diagnosis brought a sense of relief, as Maddie was finally able to make a plan to fight her disease. However, there was no time to rest or process what was happening, as she was immediately thrust into a whirlwind of appointments with haematologists, oncologists, and even fertility specialists.
Just a week after her diagnosis, Maddie was already undergoing IVF injections to preserve some eggs before chemotherapy. The treatment was brutal, consisting of six rounds of intense chemotherapy, followed by a month of radiation.
For months, Maddie's life revolved around blood tests, medication schedules, isolation, and relentless cycles of pain. Her academic life paused, and her social life dwindled, leaving her often too exhausted to leave the house.
Maddie's journey was not just a physical battle, but also an emotional and psychological one. At an age when most of her peers were embarking on internships, holidays, or dating, Maddie found herself navigating oncology wards and hormone injections.
Maddie's heartbreaking story takes a darker turn with the revelation that she lost her father to pancreatic cancer at the age of 16. His diagnosis left little time for treatment, and he passed away within a month. When Maddie received her own diagnosis just three years later, it stirred up complicated emotions.
Now healthy and working in marketing at a Sydney startup, Maddie is passionate about giving back and raising awareness for young Australians going through cancer. She hopes to highlight the power of female-driven support networks like Cancer Chicks - the community that helped her through her darkest days.
Maddie celebrated a milestone many cancer survivors dream of in March 2025 - five years in remission. She and her partner went to Vietnam to celebrate, marking a significant step in her recovery. Despite lingering chronic health issues, Maddie is learning to live alongside them with grace, strength, and gratitude.
Looking back, Maddie says her journey has taught her a painful but profound truth: "No one is too young. No one is too healthy. Cancer doesn't care." However, she also stresses that small acts of care, such as a simple Facebook message or a donation, can make a huge difference for someone fighting for their life.
By sharing her story, Maddie hopes to raise awareness for young Aussies going through cancer and the importance of support networks like Cancer Chicks. She is particularly excited about a new partnership between Cancer Chicks and Afterpay, allowing people to donate in instalments to help charities fund vital retreats, events, and workshops for cancer patients like her who still need support in their day-to-day lives.
- Maddie King, a health-conscious 19-year-old university student from Melbourne, Australia, was caught off guard by the unexpected diagnosis of stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma, a rare form of cancer.
- Despite her seemingly healthy lifestyle, Maddie's health news took a drastic turn when she discovered hard lumps in her neck, which had been growing unnoticed for years.
- Intrigued and concerned about her symptoms, Maddie delved into medical-conditions research on her smartphone, which ultimately led to her self-diagnosis of cancer.
- As she prepared for an adventure in Los Angeles, Maddie realized the importance of making informed decisions about her health and wellness, leading her to advocate for education and self-development in mental health and chronic diseases.
- After her diagnosis, Maddie's journey was filled with personal-growth moments as she navigated the complexities of modern-day medical treatment, including IVF, chemotherapy, and radiation.
- Through her experiences, Maddie is now a passionate advocate for medical-conditions awareness, particularly among young Australians, and is excited about collaborations that support charities providing health and wellness resources and mental-health support networks like Cancer Chicks.
