Dundee woman Emma Hally was a fit and healthy 24-year-old when she caught Covid in the summer of 2021.
Health and wellbeing is a big part of her life – she has a passion for dance, especially belly dancing, as well as yoga and meditation.
Contracting the coronavirus led her on a challenging health journey – culminating in a shock diagnosis of leukaemia.
But, despite everything, Emma never stopped dancing and is launching a new dance project in Dundee and encouraging others to join her.
Here, she tells us about that – as well as how important it is that people know the symptoms of leukaemia.
Emma felt the first few days of Covid were like “a bad cold.” But as time went on, she became more concerned.
“After five days it was getting worse,” she explains.
“I was so breathless and anxious, I’d lost my taste and smell – I felt I kept missing a breath, which really concerned me.
“I didn’t feel like it was going to end.”
By day 10, most of those symptoms had gone and Emma returned to work.
‘Intuition told me something was wrong’
The ex-Monifieth High pupil explains: “I went back to my job as a nanny but I was getting severe pain, which I thought was muscle pain.
“I know now it was actually bone pain. I had pain in the back of my head and lower back and was experiencing severe headaches.
“My intuition told me it was something seriously wrong,” Emma continues.
Emma endured months of weakness and unexplained weight loss as she struggled on.
“I was trying to get over things, trying to push past it and be positive, but nothing was working,” she says.
“No amount of healthy juices, yoga or a positive mindset was getting rid of these pains.”
Trips to GP and hospital
She went back and forward to her GP countless times in despair.
Her symptoms led to treatments for fibromyalgia and kidney stones, as well as being prescribed pain relief.
“There were so many blood tests all the way through those months as well but they didn’t show anything,” Emma explains.
“I felt so isolated and that folk would think it was all in my head.”
Blood test finally reveals the truth
It was one last bout of severe pain in her back and side in September 2021 that finally brought a diagnosis.
“I phoned my doctor and they took blood again.
“About an hour afterwards, I was phoned directly by Ninewells.
“They told me to come in instantly because they’d found something in my blood.
“I luckily only live five minutes from there, so was in quickly.
“Ten minutes later, I was told I either had leukaemia or lymphoma.”
Further tests revealed a few days later Emma had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
‘State of shock’
“I just went into a state of shock,” she says.
Emma spent three weeks in hospital and was then transferred to a young adult’s ward.
“I was told the next few months would consist of spending a lot of time in the hospital and to not make any plans for a while.
“I was going to be on chemotherapy for the next three years.
Losing her hair
“When I was diagnosed, I thought everything was going to be taken away from me,” Emma continues.
“Especially my long hair, which had a lot to do with my spirituality and dance career.
“I never cut my hair for this reason.
“It took a while to realise I could still be spiritual, I could still believe what I believe. And that I could alter my yoga sessions, dance sessions and my gratitude for smaller wins.
“I found my own balance; health looks different on everyone.”
Emma is still going through treatment and is reaching the maintenance phase.
Dancing through cancer
But throughout it all, she’s never stopped dancing.
“I’ve always loved dancing – from when I used to dance with my mum to the Sugababes and Shania Twain, to when I discovered my love for belly dancing,” she says.
“I continued to dance throughout all of my treatments, where I could manage.
“I started doing free online classes for the cancer community.
Launching a class in Dundee
“And now I’m starting an in-person basic belly dancing class in Dundee at Dudhope Multicultural Centre.
“I really want the classes to be accessible for all ages. It’s about letting people realise that everyone has the right type of body to enjoy it.
“I want the classes to be a journey for people to love their bodies and what they can do for us.”
Symptoms of leukaemia
Emma is also advocating a greater awareness of the signs and symptoms of leukaemia.
The most common symptoms are:
- Fatigue
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Repeated infections
- Fever or night sweats
- Bone or joint pain
- Shortness of breath.
If you have any of these symptoms, contact your GP and ask for a blood test.
For more information see the Spot Leukaemia campaign here.
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