Medics fobbed me off… now I’ve been handed a heartbreaking diagnosis

An aspiring West End star has revealed how he was fobbed off by doctors despite falling grievously ill – only to receive a devastating cancer diagnosis at just 28.

Joe Readman, a musical theatre actor based in London, first noticed a painless lump in his groin earlier this summer. Within weeks, he experienced night sweats, itchy skin and even fainted.

‘I first started noticing a lump in my groin – but I know you can have swollen lymph nodes for a couple of weeks with an infection,’ he recalled.

‘It went on for three weeks, so I decided to get it checked. I’d also passed out for the first time in my life during these three weeks, so I knew that was a cause for concern.’

On hearing his symptoms, Mr Readman’s GP referred him for hospital cancer tests – but while waiting for the appointment, his health plummeted.

‘I ended up getting really sick for two weeks,’ he said. ‘I did go to A&E because I thought I wasn’t going to make it – it was that bad.’

Yet he was sent home and told to wait for tests. When he finally attended his appointment, he was stunned to learn that the tests he had expected were not scheduled.

‘I got to my appointment, and I thought I was going to be having a biopsy and an ultrasound, because that’s what I’d been sent there for.

‘But I got there for them to tell me that they were booking me in. I told them I was under the impression that’s what I was there for.

‘I had been really sick for two weeks, not been able to work, and I can’t afford to miss work without a good enough reason.

‘Thankfully, the doctor understood my situation and managed to get me in that day.’

Scans revealed a swollen lymph node with a concerning texture. A biopsy and blood tests confirmed the diagnosis: Stage 4 Burkitt’s lymphoma, an aggressive, advanced blood cancer.

‘The fact I had to push in order to get diagnosed is a bit worrying,’ Mr Readman said. ‘Because if I hadn’t been like that, I could have been two or three weeks later finding out, and been in a lot worse of a situation than I am currently.’

Burkitt’s lymphoma is a rare form of non–Hodgkin lymphoma, with around 260 diagnoses each year. In the US the figure is roughly 1,200 annually.

Symptoms often emerge with frightening speed: painless lumps in lymph nodes, night sweats, fever, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain or swelling, and if bone marrow is affected, breathlessness or unexplained bleeding.

The cancer is known to be aggressive and advance rapidly, making a swift diagnosis crucial.

Survival rates are encouraging if caught early – around eight in ten patients survive more than five years. However, outcomes drop significantly in late–stage or treatment–resistant cases.

Standard treatment involves cycles of aggressive chemotherapy, usually combined with rituximab, and in many cases drugs injected directly into the spinal fluid to prevent spread to the brain and spinal cord.

Patients must be closely monitored for a dangerous complication known as tumour lysis syndrome, when the cancer breaks down too quickly and overwhelms the kidneys.

Mr Redman has now started the first of four demanding chemotherapy cycles, each lasting up to two weeks, which will keep him out of work for three to four months.

‘It’s definitely been rough,’ he admitted. ‘I didn’t expect it to be easy, but it’s also been a lot tougher than I expected. I think the hardest thing has been telling friends and family – that’s been the most emotional.

‘My mum’s an angel, she cares about me so much, and picking up the phone to call her was the most difficult thing.’

The diagnosis has derailed his dreams of performing in the West End and left him unable to work in his day job at a Soho bar.

He has submitted claims for Personal Independence Payment and applied to charities for financial support but has yet to receive a response.

In the meantime, he has set up a GoFundMe to help cover rent, bills and travel costs during treatment.

The fundraiser has already brought in more than £3,000, with donations from friends, strangers – and even celebrities like X Factor winner Joe McElderry.

‘The response of support and love has been overwhelming and incredible,’ Mr Readman said. ‘I kind of felt guilty for posting a fundraiser – but I can’t physically work to support myself, so I do need to ask for that help.’

His battle comes as a shock new report from Cancer Research UK and a coalition of 60 cancer charities warned that cases across the country are set to soar.

They forecast that by 2040 one person in England will be diagnosed with cancer every two minutes – with 6.3 million new cases in total over the next 15 years.

The increase is being fuelled by an ageing population, lifestyle factors such as obesity and smoking, and faltering vaccination rates.

Charities warn that unless urgent action is taken to speed up diagnosis and tackle postcode inequalities, England risks falling behind other nations on cancer survival.

Alarmingly, death rates in the most deprived communities are already around 60 per cent higher than in the wealthiest areas – accounting for almost 28,400 extra deaths every year.

For now, Mr Readman is focused on getting through treatment.

‘I’m a musical theatre performer who’s trying for the West End – I’ve done cruise ships and musicals, and recently moved to London. This has come at a really bad time and halted all of my plans.

‘I’m struggling to afford rent and bills, so I’m trying to raise money while I’m waiting for things to go through so I can afford my rent.’

Despite the uncertainty ahead, he draws strength from the outpouring of support, determined to beat his diagnosis and return to the stage.