This woman’s viral photo of a thyroid cancer symptom could save a life
Knowing your body is the best way to detect when something is off or wrong. And British actress Lorna Nickson Brown proved that in a photo showing a symptom of thyroid cancer she’d overlooked. As she wrote on Twitter, there is a visible lump on her neck she hadn’t realized was an issue until she found out that she had thyroid cancer one year later.
As Brown told the British indy1000:
"My mum noticed a lump on the front left side of my neck. She thought I lost a bit of weight, but three months later I visited the GP who confirmed that it was a thyroid nodule."
Although thyroid nodules can be harmless, Brown’s nodule ended up being cancerous and put her acting career on hold.
Now, she’s speaking out about a warning sign she missed to help spread awareness about thyroid cancer.
— lorna nickson brown (@LornaNBrown) March 1, 2017
Brown writes in her post that she and her family had missed the lump in her neck, but that it was a tell-tale sign of her diagnosis to come.
According to the American Cancer Society, if thyroid cancer is caught in the early stages, there is a very high chance of survival. So, stories like Brown’s are essential to help raise awareness of potential signs of cancer.
Now, Brown has been cancer-free for a year and she is running a marathon to raise money for a cancer charity that specializes in patients with head and neck diseases.
It's time to meet our #TeamGAH London Marathon runners Today we meet Lorna & hear why she is supporting Get A-Head https://t.co/FpLFWZIQ7t pic.twitter.com/BrssJZLMZE
— Get A-Head Charity (@Get_AHead_Trust) January 23, 2017
We’re so glad that Brown caught her cancer when she did. And we hope people are inspired by her story to take notice of any changes in their bodies and then follow-up with their doctors.
