The first sign of blood cancer that left me fighting for my life was bruises on my leg - these are the signs that you must never ignore

The first sign of blood cancer that left me fighting for my life was bruises on my leg - these are the signs that you must never ignore By MEIKE LEONARD Published: 11:45 BST, 26 April 2025 | Updated: 11:45 BST, 26 April 2025 e-mail View comments When Michelle Gidion first noticed the blue bruises dotted across her lower legs, she put them down to the family dog bashing into her. The mum-of-four was frequently the target of the German shorthaired pointer’s excitable hellos, often jumping about when she let him out of the car. And other than feeling slightly more tired than normal – which wasn’t unusual while running a hectic household of four boys – Michelle, 56, had no other symptoms.

It wasn’t until a friend urged her to get the marks checked out a couple of months later that she finally went to her GP for a blood test. Michelle, her husband of eight years – Simon, 58 – and their sons Ayrton, 21, Jenson, 20, Rubens, 18, and Mika, 16, were about to jet off for the French Alps when the cancer specialist called. It was devastating news.



Her blood tests revealed she had acute myeloid leukaemia – a type of blood cancer affecting bone marrow cells that about 3,000 Britons are diagnosed with every year. The consultant advised her not to board the plane. The platelets in her blood, which are vital for clotting, were so low that an accidental injury could have made her bleed to death.

Michelle Gidion suffered from acute myeloid leukaemia - an aggressive cancer in which the bone marrow generates white blood cells too quickly In shock at the discovery and not wanting to ruin her family’s dream trip, Michelle disregarded the instructions. The family were forced to fly home just 24 hours later, however – Michelle’s condition had deteriorated suddenly. ‘As soon as we got there, I felt my body begin to break down,’ she said.

‘I think it was only then that I realised how unwell I had been, and the stress of hearing that I had cancer made me feel exhausted and nauseous. I knew I needed to be in hospital as soon as possible.’ She was taken to A&E from the plane and put on chemotherapy at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester.

Acute myeloid leukaemia is an aggressive cancer in which the bone marrow – the soft, spongy tissue inside bones that produces blood cells – generates white blood cells too quickly. These immature cells, though crucial to the immune system when healthy, don’t function properly. Without enough healthy white blood cells, patients are more susceptible to infections.

The defective cells can also accumulate, preventing the development of red blood cells. This causes anaemia, leading to breathlessness, fatigue and, as Michelle experienced, bruising and problematic clotting. Acute myeloid leukaemia can strike anyone, but it is most commonly diagnosed in the elderly.

Treatment typically begins with chemotherapy and, in some cases, radiotherapy. Patients may also be offered a stem cell transplant, which involves healthy bone marrow cells from a donor being introduced to the bloodstream, helping the body produce fully functioning white blood cells. Chemotherapy initially put Michelle into remission.

Five months later, however, the cancer returned, and the stem cell transplant that followed – with a predicted 80 per cent success rate owing to her high levels of fitness – also failed. Frail and barely able to walk, Michelle felt hopeless. Michelle is now miraculously cancer-free, having taken the twice-daily pill belximenib for ten months Just as options seemed to be running out, she was offered the chance to take part in a groundbreaking drug trial at The Christie.

The bleximenib pills felt like ‘the light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel’, says Michelle. ‘There was no way I wasn’t going to say yes to it. I just want to be alive, so I grabbed it with both hands.

It’s the only thing that’s given us hope in the past two years.’ Michelle is now miraculously cancer-free, having taken the twice-daily pill for ten months. More blood cell infusions have also been carried out to boost her immune system.

Bleximenib is still going through early-phase trials at The Christie, and works by blocking a protein that plays a key role in helping leukaemia cells survive and grow. As these cells weaken and eventually die, the body can start making healthy blood cells again. Read More EXCLUSIVE Former MP THEO CLARKE's shattering story of giving birth in Britain today Consultant haematologist Dr Emma Searle, who oversees Michelle’s care, says early results from the trial are promising.

‘This could potentially be a new therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia who have specific gene mutations and relapsed after initial treatment, or may in the future be added to standard treatment for newly diagnosed patients,’ she says. Michelle, meanwhile, is endlessly grateful for the drug that has given her new hope. ‘It’s got me to a place where I feel a lot better and gradually I’m getting my energy levels back,’ she says.

‘I’ve been super active all my life. I was a fitness freak in my 20s and I was regularly walking near our home in the foothills of the Pennines on the edge of the Peak District. ‘This diagnosis really turned our lives upside down.

‘My four sons have all signed up for the stem cell register, so hopefully they can help someone in the future. Jenson has raised money for blood cancer research, too. ‘The whole experience has been life-changing for our family.

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