04 Jun 2025

Nichola’s story: Four cancers, twice with leukaemia

“I am grateful to still be here, but cancer has taken a lot from me. After four cancers, I hope I can now live my life with no more fighting, get back to socializing and having a normal life. I’m still only 44. For now, I’m taking each day at a time.”

One cancer diagnosis is devastating. But Nichola Smith has been told she has cancer four times in the past 31 years, twice with leukaemia. Not only that but the side effects of the harsh treatments have also caused her severe health problems requiring multiple surgeries. Nichola, though, is determined to keep working through the bad times and focus on enjoying her life.

In early January 1994, Nichola was 12 years old, living in Glasgow with her family and enjoying friends and school. But then she started to get sick.

“I had no energy and kept getting high temperatures with sickness and diarrhoea. I had also just started my periods, but they were really heavy and went on for a long time. And I had bruising on my arms. My two brothers and I saw a lot of our cousins at that time and there was plenty of play fighting, and I remember when one of them grabbed me it would leave a bruise on my arm in the shape of a handprint.

Nichola at the hospital with her mum after being diagnosed with AML

Two weeks later, Nichola showed no signs of getting better so she went to see the GP with her mum. They said it was a viral illness and sent her home. But Nichola collapsed at home a few days later and was rushed to hospital. Within hours, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

“I was at the time watching the TV soap Home and Away where a girl called Meg had leukaemia and had died. When I was told I went into complete panic mode and was very emotional as I thought I am going to die too. But they explained to me I had a type that could be treated, although I would need strong medication and it would make me poorly and my hair would fall out.

“My parents were absolutely brilliant but it must have been terrible for them. Mum watched a lot of medical programmes and as soon as I was taken to hospital, she said she had a feeling it was leukaemia, she knew that the extreme bruises were a symptom.”

Treatment began immediately for Nichola. She was given blood transfusions and chemotherapy.

“I didn’t want to be away from home, my family or my friends. I was locked in complete isolation and my parents were the only ones allowed in. But eventually things started to change.”

After five rounds of chemotherapy, Nichola was allowed home and began to recover. But in July 1995 she received the devastating news that her AML was back. In January 1996 she had a bone marrow transplant to try and put her into remission.

Nichola getting treatment at the hospital

“I was given more chemotherapy and then total body radiation to prepare for my transplant. Neither my brothers nor anybody on the register of donors matched. So I received an autologous transplant – from my own cells.”

Fortunately, the transplant put Nichola into remission. But dealing with the physical and emotional after-effects of her blood cancer as a teenage girl was only just beginning.

“I went back to school after a few months but I was petrified as I’d lost my hair. My mum spoke to the head who gave a talk to the school about being kind to me but, even so, some boys still pulled off my wig. But I kept going and amazingly passed all my exams when I was 16.”

Nichola eventually resumed normal teenage life, went to college and started her career working in a nursery. She still underwent regular testing at the Late Effects Clinic, which monitors the potential after-effects of harsh treatment for leukaemia and other cancers. It was here in 2006 that a routine mammogram revealed she had pre-cancerous cells in both her breasts. Nichola was 26 at the time.

“They said it was a common side effect of the treatment I had had, and I would need a double mastectomy. I had to have three major operations with a lot of recovery time. I still get checked every year for any breast cancer cells.”

Nichola enjoying time with her friends at a festival

For 15 years after that, Nichola enjoyed life without any more symptoms. She became an auntie and enjoyed time with friends at festivals, spa days and on holiday. But in January 2022, she contracted covid and found she struggled to recover. In April, tests revealed she had myelodysplasia, a blood cancer that could eventually lead, once more, to acute myeloid leukaemia.

“I didn’t understand what myelodysplasia was as I had never heard of it. When I found out I had cancer again, I was devastated. I couldn’t believe I was going to have to fight again.”

“At first, I was put on ‘watch and wait’, but then started to need blood transfusions. After a year, they told me it was progressing and it was time to start treatment. In August 2023 I had chemotherapy, radiotherapy and then a haploidentical stem cell transplant donated by my brother, Andrew.

Nichola’s brother Andrew donating cells for her transplant

Research and treatments have moved on a lot in 30 years and this time they said he was a 50% match and they could make it work.”

But when she started to experience a racing heart rate, it became apparent that the second grueling stem cell transplant had damaged – one of her heart valves. On Hogmanay 2023, Nichola was admitted back into hospital and in May 2024, she underwent open heart surgery to insert a new valve.

“The good news is my bone marrow is now 100% my brother’s DNA and the transplant has been successful. But I’m off work now as I’m not fit enough to work with children anymore, which is devastating.

“I have days that I struggle emotionally and mentally, but the support from my family and friends has got me through this and I will be forever grateful. I feel like I have been constantly looking over my shoulder and each cancer after my first AML has felt like it’s coming for me and determined to get me.

“I am grateful to still be here, but cancer has taken a lot from me. After four cancers, I hope I can now live my life with no more fighting, get back to socializing and having a normal life. I’m still only 44. For now, I’m taking each day at a time.”