Mascara saves life of cancer victim, 16

Faye, 16, said wearing the make-up saved her life as it caused an eye infection, prompting her parents to take her to hospital where they were told she was suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes.

After medics ordered the series of precautionary tests when she was taken in, the cancer was spotted early and treatment has proved successful.

Faye, of Harrogate, said: “Wearing mascara really did save my life.

“If I hadn’t got the eye infection, I would never have had the tests and the cancer may not have been found in time.

“I still wear mascara although I don’t wear the one that gave me an infection any more. But then if it wasn’t for that one I may not know about my illness today.”

Her mother Sue said: “Faye might have developed symptoms eventually but who knows how the cancer might have spread by then?

“Although we were not happy about the make-up at first, it did, of course, lead to the diagnosis.”

Faye developed the eye infection last September and worried parents Sue and Graham took her to the accident and emergency unit at Harrogate Hospital.

She had three weeks of treatment but doctors also ordered X-rays and scans as she had complained of breathlessness.

The tests revealed inflammation of the lymph nodes in Faye’s chest.

At first it was thought that might have been her immune system fighting the infection but after more scans, on December 23, the family was given the devastating news that Faye, then 15, had cancer.

Mrs Archer said: “I had not let the thought of cancer creep in to my mind. Faye cried, I cried and Graham was trying not to. The doctor said Faye had a good chance but he couldn’t give us any more information.

“There had been no sign that anything at all was wrong which was why we were so shocked to be told she had cancer.”

Faye recalled: “Before the consultant even said anything the mood seemed to be depressed. After he told us, when we got in the car I was crying and I had to ask mum if I was definitely going to get through it.”

Faye began chemotherapy at Leeds General Infirmary in January. The treatment was successful and recent scans have shown the cancer is no longer in her system.

Doctors have said there is a 95 per cent chance it will not return, though Faye will need tests for the next five years. She has also returned to school.

Being given the all-clear was the “best feeling of my life,” she said.

“Having chemotherapy every day for eight weeks was terrible and I didn’t want any more treatment.

“I was lucky as I had no symptoms when they caught it but I would say to people that if they do get any symptoms to get themselves seen.”

Faye’s specialist Dr Bob Phillips, consultant in paediatric, teenage and young adult oncology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, said medics did brilliantly to spot Faye’s cancer so early.

“It is very unusual to detect someone asymptomatically (without showing symptoms) and it is a huge credit to the X-ray staff in York,” he said. “It was a very subtle abnormality.

“Faye was got in early and got through her treatment and she is doing very well.”

Faye’s family are now organising a summer ball and fashion show to raise money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and the Bone Cancer Research Trust, supported by TV legend Sir Jimmy Savile.

Faye will be a model along with other young cancer patients at the event at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

Sir Jimmy said: “Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others get plenty of their own back.”