I turned 31 years old and, although I was being tested, I still didn't know what was going to come a few months later.

After three months, the doctors gave me a, even for them, unexpected diagnosis. They defined it like a strange case compared to the rest. My symptoms didn't indicate what I had: Hodgkin's Lymphoma. When the doctor told me I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma, I had never heard of it. With compassion but also with decisiveness, he explained what was happening and what was going to happen...

That day, my life and my family's life changed and a new one began. I could only think: "Why me? There are so many people in this world..." I didn't understand why life was putting such a tough test on me.

I started the treatment with chemotherapy, a long and hard treatment (as the doctor had described it) with hair loss and possible nauseas, among other things. Nevertheless, that was what was going to cure me and give back my life quality.

They administrated the treatment intravenously through a catheter which I had to wear for almost eight months. That stopped me from doing what I love the most, my job and my hobby: swimming and the sea. I couldn't imagine not being able to do it. I was desperate. It was the worst thing they could have told me: I wasn't going to be able to swim in months.

The treatment was like the doctor described: tough, very tough, and long, very long. They were eighteen chemotherapy sessions, eight months of nauseas from start to end. I could explain very hard experiences but I decided I was going to stay only with the good things I lived, because there have also been good moments.

I had to learn to enjoy more intensely the days when I felt good, to enjoy my parents and their cares, to learn to let others take care of me (as my doctor said: learn how to live like a marchioness, and not act like a swimmer) and let myself be loved by my friends who have always been there.

My recovery was slow but, little by little, I gained back my weight and shape. I pass my regular check-ups and I am getting good results, I don't want to think that the bug can come back to my blood, to my life.

I have learned to give things the value they deserve. The most important thing is health and, with it, you can achieve everything else.

After all of the things I have lived, my actual life is better and I am doing new things which I didn't do before. An experience like this one leaves a mark for the rest of your life. I like remembering everything I went through; in order to not forget why my life has the meaning it has today.

I have gone back to my job as a swimming teacher, I've started swimming again and participating in competitions. Once again, I am a SWIMMER.

I have been able to reach one of my dreams, along with a very special friend of mine: we have funded a Swimming club where I live, in Salou, and we are teaching children the love for swimming.

With this summary of my story I want to encourage all of the people who are going through these hard moments of the illness. I want to tell them to never give up on the hope of getting cured, because they can achieve their dreams, and tell them they never have to forget who they are: "SPECIAL PEOPLE BECAUSE LIFE PICKED THEM".

Vanesa

If you want more information about the donation of bone marrow to help many leukaemia patients to have the opportunity of a cure, click HERE. Remember that the donation of bone marrow is altruistic, anonymous, and universal. If you register as a bone marrow donor, you could be making a donation to a person from anywhere in the world. If you want more information, write to donants@fcarreras.es or call us on our free phone number (in Spain) 900 32 33 34.

You could also become a member of the José Carreras Foundation. With a little amount you could help us to continue our research.