Glasgow student thought she had a cold before being diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer

A Glasgow Caledonian University student who believed she was suffering from repeated colds and sinus infections was later diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer.

Ayley Crawford, 21, from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire, had recently begun a nursing degree at Glasgow Caledonian University when she started experiencing persistent illnesses. What initially felt like ordinary student sickness quickly became more serious, as she found herself constantly exhausted, unable to keep food down and so weak she could barely stand.

After fainting during a practical university exam, Ayley decided to seek medical help. Her GP arranged blood tests and referred her to University Hospital Wishaw with suspected diabetes. Weeks later, following further testing, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a fast-growing and aggressive form of blood cancer that requires urgent treatment.

Recalling the period before her diagnosis, Ayley said: “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. When I fainted during a practical exam at university, I just knew something wasn’t right.”

The diagnosis came as a huge shock. Nearly 80 per cent of people diagnosed with AML in the UK do not survive beyond five years, and Ayley admitted her immediate reaction was fear. She said: “My first thought was ‘I’m going to die’. I knew something was wrong with me, but I never thought it would turn out to be cancer.”

Ayley immediately began treatment at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, undergoing four cycles of chemotherapy. Although the treatment left her constantly nauseous and caused her hair to thin, she said she tried to remain positive throughout the process.

“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,” she said. “I kept thinking, I just need to get through this and then I’ll be able to get back to my life.”

In November 2024, Ayley was told she was in remission. She returned to part-time work, went on holiday and began planning to resume her studies the following year. However, just months later, in March 2025, a routine bone marrow biopsy revealed the cancer had returned.

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“I was devastated,” she said. “I felt like everything I went through with my treatment had been for nothing. I’d been saying to my family that I was feeling so well, it was a complete shock.”

Doctors informed Ayley she would need a stem cell transplant, and a donor match was eventually found in Australia. In July 2025 she was admitted to Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital to undergo the procedure, which she described as the hardest part of her treatment journey.

“Going through transplant was honestly the worst thing I’ve ever endured,” she said. “I had ulcers in my digestive tract which led to significant weight loss. 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.”

After the transplant, Ayley returned home to begin a lengthy recovery period and spent three months isolating. She said even basic daily tasks became difficult, while medication caused painful side effects including swelling and rashes.

Now back in remission, Ayley is planning to travel this summer before returning to university in 2026 to continue her nursing degree. Although she says the experience has completely changed her life, she believes it has also shaped the kind of nurse she wants to become.

“I was supposed to be graduating this year, and I’ve missed countless experiences with friends. I feel so behind,” she said. “But the one good thing to come of it all is that I think it will make me a better nurse. I was really glad I was studying nursing as it made the medical terms so much easier and I could explain everything clearly to friends and family. 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.”

Fiona Hazell, chief executive of Leukaemia UK, said Ayley’s story highlights the importance of recognising the signs and symptoms of leukaemia early. She 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.”