A student nurse from Scotland who initially believed she was suffering from a common cold received a life-changing diagnosis of an aggressive blood cancer. Ayley Crawford, now 21, was 19 when she started her nursing degree at Glasgow Caledonian University and began experiencing repeated colds and sinus infections.
Early Symptoms Overlooked
Originally from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Crawford's condition worsened as she felt constantly exhausted and struggled to keep food down. She sought medical help after fainting during an exam. Her GP initially suspected diabetes, but after several tests, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), an extremely aggressive blood cancer requiring urgent treatment.
"I had colds and sinus infections I just couldn't shake. I was feeling tired all the time and sometimes I was so weak I could barely stand," Crawford recalled. "When I fainted during a practical exam at university, I just knew something wasn't right."
The Diagnosis and Treatment
Upon receiving the AML diagnosis, Crawford was terrified. Nearly 80% of those diagnosed with the disease do not survive more than five years. "My first thought was 'I'm going to die'," she said. "I knew something was wrong with me, but I never thought it would turn out to be cancer."
She underwent four cycles of chemotherapy, during which she experienced thinning hair and sickness. "It was hard to be away from home, but I was honestly in quite good spirits throughout my treatment, thanks to the staff in the Beatson hospital," she explained. "I kept thinking, I just need to get through this and then I'll be able to get back to my life."
Remission and Relapse
Crawford was told she was in remission in November 2024, allowing her to get a part-time job and go on holiday. However, a routine bone marrow biopsy in March 2025 revealed she had relapsed. "I was devastated, I felt like everything I went through with my treatment had been for nothing," she said. "I'd been saying to my family that I was feeling so well, it was a complete shock."
After learning she would need a stem cell transplant, a match was found with an anonymous donor from Australia. In July 2025, she was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, describing the procedure as "the worst thing I've ever endured."
"I had ulcers in my digestive tract which led to significant weight loss," Crawford recalled. "I wasn't allowed out of my room for five weeks, but my mum, boyfriend Riley and my friend Melissa were able to visit. They were my only three visitors allowed."
Recovery and Future Plans
After the transplant, Crawford spent three months in isolation at home, dealing with medication side effects and weakness that made even walking from the bedroom to the bathroom a challenge. "It was very hard for me dealing with how I looked as a young woman at the time," she said. "Thankfully I had my family and friends, who supported me greatly. I slowly started to recover and was able to celebrate Christmas 2025, which was so special."
Now in remission, Crawford plans to travel this summer before returning to university in 2026. She admits the diagnosis profoundly affected her life. "I was a 19-year-old finding my feet in the adult world and it was all taken away from me in the blink of an eye," she said. "I was supposed to be graduating this year, and I've missed countless experiences with friends. I feel so behind. But the one good thing to come of it all is that I think it will make me a better nurse. Every ward I was on the nurses wanted me to come and join them once I was qualified. So, I may actually go into oncology. But my main aim right now is to get back to university and to catch up on all my missed time!"
Leukaemia UK Comments
Fiona Hazell, chief executive at Leukaemia UK, said: "Many people aren't aware of the signs and symptoms of leukaemia until they or someone they know is diagnosed. We are so grateful to Ayley for sharing her story and helping to raise awareness of what to look out for. Early diagnosis saves lives, so we want to make sure more people are aware of the signs and symptoms, and to contact their GP to ask for a Full Blood Count test if they're experiencing them. Together, we can stop leukaemia from devastating so many lives."
