A woman, who was getting ready for her wedding by working on do-it-yourself decorations, initially ignored her shoulder pain, attributing it to her crafting activities. However, she was shocked to find out that she had blood cancer. Shannon Frost, aged 31, and her husband Richard, 31, were busy preparing for their big day when Shannon’s pain intensified. Following their wedding on August 5, Shannon sought medical help on September 3 suspecting a blood clot. Despite being initially diagnosed with a frozen shoulder, a subsequent blood test raised concerns, leading to an urgent visit to the hospital on September 11.

Further investigations, including CT scans and a biopsy, revealed a 12cm mass in Shannon’s chest, confirming non-Hodgkin Lymphoma on September 13, 2024. The mass was pressing on a nerve connected to her shoulder, causing severe pain. Shannon underwent six rounds of chemotherapy at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, and achieved remission by February 2025.

Reflecting on her experience, Shannon, a customer success account manager, admitted that the period leading up to the wedding was already hectic due to multiple family birthdays. She attributed her shoulder pain to the long hours spent crafting for the wedding.

Despite initially being told she had a frozen shoulder, Shannon persisted and requested further tests, which eventually led to the diagnosis of blood cancer. The journey was challenging, but Shannon’s determination to get better quickly as a mother kept her motivated. A book titled ‘My Mum’s a Chameleon,’ written by her father, was a heartwarming gift to Shannon during her remission, aimed at helping her daughter understand and accept her transformation during the treatment period.