A shock diagnosis over the phone and six weeks of chemotherapy isolated from her partner, family and friends was just the start of Eve Cossette’s blood cancer journey. Four years after her diagnosis with a type of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, she is still experiencing painful side effects but determined to keep climbing mountains and doing what she loves.
As COVID restrictions and lockdowns impacted everyday life in September 2021, Eve and her partner were happily renovating their new home in Melbourne and building a future together.
“It was like the peak of our lives where everything was really good and we were just settling down,” she recalls.
Falling through a gap in the floorboards and hurting her foot seemed like just another renovation injury. But there was a lot of bruising, so Eve made an appointment with her GP.
“I was feeling a bit tired, but thought it was just anxiousness because I was also a bit short of breath,” she says.
Initially unconcerned, her GP ordered some blood tests to check there were no underlying problems. It was another couple of days before Eve had her blood collected because she didn’t feel there was any urgency.
Learn more about the common signs and symptoms of blood cancer.
Almost a week after her visit to the GP, Eve received a life-changing phone call.
“I was still in bed and received a call from a private number,” she recalls. “The guy on the phone said, ‘Are you near a hospital now? Can you get there as soon as you can?’”
“‘Look, I’m from the lab,’ he said. ‘I’m looking at your bloods and I think you have leukaemia.’”
Eve didn’t understand what was happening and felt shocked.
At her request, the man called her partner and said Eve should be taken to the nearest emergency department as soon as possible.
As soon as they walked into the Emergency Department at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Eve’s partner was asked to leave because of COVID restrictions. Eve would have to wait for an answer alone.
Around 20 minutes later, a doctor came into the room, looked at the blood test results and confirmed Eve’s worst fears – she had cancer.
Eve was allowed to leave the hospital for a few minutes to tell her partner about the diagnosis. Then she walked back into the hospital and didn’t leave again for six weeks. She would be unable to see her partner, or any friends or family, face-to-face during this period.
Eve struggled to accept the diagnosis until doctors tested her bone marrow the following day and found she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
ALL is a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Its cause is unknown but it’s more common in younger children. About 400 adults and children are diagnosed with ALL each year in Australia.
“I was just in denial and kept saying, ‘They’ve got the wrong bloods,’” she says.
With her family living in Canada, Eve waited for them to wake up before calling to share the devastating news. Thankfully, Facetime meant her partner could be with her virtually to provide support.
Due to international travel restrictions and visa requirements, it would be almost five months before Eve’s mother could fly to Australia and be there for her daughter. Meanwhile, her friends and family in Canada provided support from afar.
“For the first half of my intense treatment it was just my partner and I. Of course, we had our friends and his family here and that helped. But I really needed my mum and dad,” Eve says.
Going through chemotherapy in survival mode
“I remember being really scared the first time I had chemo,” she says. “I don’t know why, but I was just expecting it to be painful or something. But it really wasn’t like that.
“I think my body and mind just went into survival mode,” she says. “I was able to process information and go through it with a completely different mindset than I had experienced before.”
“I’m a very anxious person. I’m very emotional. For the first month and a half where I was stuck in hospital, no visitors, no nothing because of COVID, I just took it on. I just went through it. I wasn’t feeling anxious or anything. Yes, I was scared but also felt, ‘I’ve got to do what I have to do to survive.’”
Finances, friends and family
As a Canadian citizen, Eve couldn’t access financial support from the Australian government while she was unwell. This meant her partner continued working throughout her treatment so they could pay their bills. He also played a pivotal role as her main advocate.
Find out what support is available to people with blood cancer.
“He definitely did everything all at the same time,” Eve recalls. “He was able to be there for all my appointments but also worked full time. I was incredibly lucky to have such a supportive partner.
“He was the one asking the right questions, doing the research and making sure I wasn’t missing any appointments or anything. He just took on everything.”
By February 2022, Eve’s family had begun arriving from Canada and could help share the load. Her mother, father and brother each visited for three months at a time.
Changing expectations due to crippling fatigue
Eve was 26 years old when she was diagnosed which meant she could be treated using the adolescent and young adult treatment protocol. This intensive treatment is recommended in some instances for patients aged 15-40 years old and often delivers good outcomes for patients. Eve describes this period as a long and hard year where she endured crippling fatigue, nausea and mental health impacts. During one course of chemotherapy, she can remember sleeping for 20 hours on some days.
“I really fought to not be tired or admit I was too tired to do something,” she says. “That side of things is hard because once you admit it affects you that much and has changed what you can do, then you have to accept the old version of yourself is in the past.”
Unfortunately, Eve’s cancer treatment caused a rare and painful side effect – avascular necrosis (AVN ). This occurs when bone tissue dies due to a lack of blood supply and it impacted Eve’s hips and shoulders leading to the breakdown of the bones. Eventually she had difficulty walking and needed her left hip replaced. Due to her young age, it will need to be replaced again in around 20 years.
“Now that I’ve had the operation, there’s things I won’t ever be able to do again,” she says. “It’s been a year and a half and I’m still recovering. My right hip might need a replacement down the track as well as my shoulders. It’s still very much ongoing.”
Accepting what is and climbing the mountain anyway
It’s almost four years since Eve’s cancer diagnosis and she’s determined to continue doing the things she loves. She tries not to let AVN impact her daily life.
“We still travel a lot and AVN hasn’t stopped me from doing that yet. I still try new things. When we went to Hawaii on the way back to Canada in 2024 I did a hike for the first time since I was diagnosed and I was able to do it. I wasn’t in pain.”
Eve says arriving at the top of the Diamond Head in Ohau, Hawaii was an emotional moment because blood cancer had impacted every part of her body, including her cardiovascular health and energy levels. Focusing on returning to the hiking and other activities she loves helped her keep moving forward throughout treatment.
“It helped me to know, in my heart, that I would get there someday. It was a hard time, but it was going to get better and I just held onto that. I guess that’s how I continued to push and push and push.”
“It wasn’t a hundred percent certain, but it helped to have some kind of hope and belief that I was going to get better.”
Getting back to ‘normal’ and coping with the trauma
Eve is now finishing her masters, starting her career and planning her wedding. But her blood cancer experience continues to impact her physical and mental health.
“It’s a big struggle of mine to think of who I was before, who I was during and who I am now … I am a changed person and it’s a very big struggle,” Eve says.
She’s spent a lot of time processing the emotions and trauma of her blood cancer experience. This has involved big conversations with her partner, family, friends and a psychologist.
Learn more about our emotional support services for people with blood cancer and their loved ones.
Even if you don’t have any side effects or physical damages, you still have the mental side of things to deal with,” Eve says. “I think it’s important to not let the trauma get worse or let it affect me now that I’m back to being healthy.”
“The leukaemia, the side effects and everything doesn’t ruin my life and it’s a part of my life. It’s important to me that it doesn’t define or control everything I do, and I try not to think about it too much when making decisions.
This article shares personal experiences and general information. For tailored advice, please consult a healthcare professional.
Listen to the full interview with Eve Cossette on our Talking Blood Cancer Podcast.
