My mum was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer back in February. Luckily she's on the mend and is going to start immnuotherapy. The doctors have all been really positive and are looking to cure her. I'm relieved. However the cancer has taken a toll on my mental health. Before my mum's cancer I was a hypochondriac (stemming from the fact that my brother was born with an extremely rare brain tumour- although he's alive and it's benign, it damaged his brain and he is mentally and physically disabled) and worried about my health.

I worry that cancer and brain tumours run in my family. My paternal grandfather had bone cancer and my father's cousin (I don't think he was closely related) had a brain tumour (though he developed it in his older years and was different to my brother's). I'm scared that I'll get skin cancer. I do enjoy tanning, but I'm sensible. I don't use sunbeds and I avoid the sun during 11am-3pm. I will only spend 45 max in the sun. If it is very hot I'll use suncream (factor 20 as I'm not fair). 

Also I haven't gained much weight during lockdown despite eating like a pig and barely doing any exercise. I gained 10-11 pounds since March but my weight has stabilised despite me eating so much and barely exercising. Usually most people would be happy, but I worry that it's cancer. Although I'm not losing much weight, I'm not gaining much either for the amount I eat and for the lack of activity. I've been eating takeaways most days this week. I'm a size 12, but still not at my goal weight. I want to lose weight, but I want to lose it knowing that it's not unexplained. I seem to lose weight very fast. I'm not that young (28) so it's not a high metabolism. I'm scared that this could be cancer. Until two weeks ago I constantly felt anxious about my mum but when she had her scan and the doctor said that "it was excellent news"; the tumour shrunk and they wanted to give her immunotherapy.

I don't have any other symptoms- no stomach pains or discomfort. I get mild headaches though. Cancer has made me more scared and aware of my health. My mum's friend's cousin died of pancreatic cancer recently, she was only 45. Things like that make me scared.