'I thought I had tonsillitis but days later doctors diagnosed me with cancer'
A devastated Brit is working his way through his bucket list after what he believed was tonsillitis was later diagnosed as cancer.
Ben Peters started to feel unwell in October 2020, and believing that the now 24-year-old just had tonsillitis, doctors prescribed him antibiotics and sent him on his way.
But Ben’s symptoms didn’t subside and and he ended up struggling to breathe.
On Boxing Day, 2020, he rang 111 who sent an ambulance to his home in Swindon, where he was living at the time.
Initially, hospital medics stuck by the earlier tonsillitis diagnosis until later tests showed he actually had acute lymphatic leukaemia.
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This is a type of cancer that affects white blood cells and "progresses quickly and aggressively" and requires immediate treatment, the NHS says.
Ben met Westlife - which was top of his bucket list (Ben Peters)Speaking to WalesOnline, Ben said: "On the Monday I was sent for blood tests and we were still convinced it was tonsillitis.
"By the Tuesday I was told it could be a possible lymphoma, but I would need further tests done to just be sure.
"Fair play to the staff, they didn't wait around, I had a bone marrow test on the Tuesday and results came back on Thursday ... it wasn't tonsillitis and I was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukaemia.
“Hearing that, my world just shattered really."
Since then, Ben has been through several rounds of chemotherapy and cancer treatment and still has the disease.
Despite several rounds of chemotherapy and cancer treatment and still has the disease (Ben Peters)He's praised his social worker and hospital staff for their support and is also grateful for the support of his family and friends - as well as the music of popular Irish band, Westlife, who he recently met in Cardiff.
"For years I've wanted to meet Westlife. And when I was diagnosed, I made a bucket list and meeting them was at the top.
“When you hear the word 'cancer,' you think of death - and that was what I first thought, that I was going to die. So I made a bucket list," Ben said.
He continued: "I wanted to see them in concert, I've seen them three times now, and I wanted to meet them. I've been a fan since I was a teenager, I grew up with their music.
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"I'd been in contact with Make a Wish and I wanted my wish to be meeting Westlife, and they tried but they were struggling to get in touch with them and it just wasn't happening, so I just thought I'd try myself.
“One evening, I messaged them all [on social media] and I explained my situation and what it would mean to me to meet them.
“Nicky [Byrne] responded the next day and put me in touch with their manager, Molly. I spoke to her and we arranged that me and my friend would meet them on the day they were performing in Cardiff."
"When you hear about people with cancer, it's often sad stories so I wanted to share this as it's a bit more positive," Ben added.
Also on his bucket list Ben wanted to meet musician Lovely Laura, get a dog, go abroad for the first time and go on reality show, Big Brother.
He’s since completed all of these apart from appearing on the TV show as he can’t go on whilst on medication.
Explaining how his cancer affected his daily life, Ben said: "I suffer with fatigue, with low energy - and then some days too much energy. And I often lose my appetite and have to make myself eat - but I still try to live normally. I want people to think, 'He's got cancer but bloody hell, he's living with it!"
Reflecting on his journey through chemotherapy, Ben added: "When you get diagnosed, you think you're alone, but actually there's loads of people out there. I actually go on residential breaks sometimes, with other people who have cancer or have had cancer.
"Two of my friends have passed away from cancer, you can't guarantee or predict what's going to happen to anyone. But I've learned to appreciate things more, I try and prepare myself for treatment but it's difficult to do, but I try and stay positive."
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