Fighting cancer: James’s story beating lymphoma

September marks Blood Cancer Awareness Month, a reminder that leukaemias, lymphomas, and myeloma impact thousands of families each year. Outcomes vary depending connected subtype and age, but down each diagnosis lies a idiosyncratic story. For 19-year-old James (Dimitri) Batsis, who was conscionable 16 when helium was diagnosed with lymphoma, the travel has been gruelling but transformative. He shares his acquisition to connection hope, interruption stigma, and item the relation of family, faith, and community.

The diagnosis

It began arsenic an mean Saturday successful June 2021. Sixteen-year-old James felt a crisp symptom successful his backmost and chest, prompting his parent to unreserved him to Monash Health’s Emergency Department.

“The archetypal doc lone noticed some inflammation successful my neck,” James recalls.

“Then a radiologist came successful with the ultrasound. As σύντομα arsenic helium scanned my chest, the country went silent. He said, ‘There appears to beryllium a wide sitting connected your chest.’ That was the infinitesimal I realised something was earnestly wrong.”

By Sunday, surgeons had inserted a vascular entree instrumentality into his arm. On Monday, steroid treatment began. Further tests confirmed the diagnosis: lymphoma. James held tightly onto his cross, bracing for the combat ahead.

James studying successful infirmary astatine the highest of treatment. Photo: Supplied

Treatment and regular life

James’s world collapsed astir overnight. He mislaid 16 kilos successful a month, his bosom raced astatine 180 beats per infinitesimal while resting, and for three months helium could not permission hospital. At home, helium relied connected a wheelchair.

“My regular beingness was wholly annihilated,” helium says.

But his acquisition continued. His mother, who ne'er near his side, urged him to support learning. Teachers adapted assignments, classmates stayed successful touch, and James attended classes online from his infirmary bed. He completed Year 11 remotely, and his schoolhouse arranged for him to spread Year 12 implicit two years.

The archetypal year was a struggle.

“I thought instrumentality schoolhouse was retired of reach,” James admits. But erstwhile chemotherapy ended, strength and clarity slowly returned. Six months later, broadside effects eased, marks improved, and his imagination came backmost into view. Today, helium is simply a instrumentality student astatine Monash University.

James playing bouzouki conscionable earlier chemotherapy. Photo: Supplied

Support systems

Beyond medicine, it was support that sustained him. His parent ne'er near his infirmary bedside. Grandparents managed the household. Friends checked successful constantly.

Community attraction mattered too. “Father George and Kosta, the cantor, were amazing,” James says.

“Father George adjacent brought maine a souvlaki while I was being treated.”

Asked whether there was thing missing, James is unequivocal: “No. I felt supported by the radical astir maine and by the aesculapian system.”

Stigma and resilience

James feels attitudes towards crab person changed. “Compared with the past, crab is little of a taboo now. Some radical still take to support it backstage to consciousness normal, but I ne'er felt stigmatised.”

He credits his Greek upbringing for resilience. “Finding κέφι, that spark of joy, kept maine going. I tuned into lessons, listened to Greek music, and watched religion services online. It gave maine strength.”

He hopes the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia will promote parishes to livestream Sunday liturgies.

“People who are sick oregon immunocompromised request it most. They can’t ever get to church, but they request God much than ever.”

James successful Kalamata during his holidays this year. Photo: Supplied

James’s message

His proposal is elemental yet profound.

“To anyone recently diagnosed: respire first. You don’t person to transportation everything. Let the doctors worry astir objective results and treatment. Focus connected small regular joys, adjacent swaying to Greek euphony tin distract from the broadside effects.

“To our community: beryllium contiguous without pressure. Offer support, company, and elemental messages with nary anticipation of reply. That consciousness of normalcy brings hope.”

James wants to spot amended supports for patients successful the future, from flexible online learning during treatment, to in-home physiotherapy, to tailored nutrition guidance. He besides notes the challenges Greek patients would look successful Greece, where accessibility and nationalist services are not guaranteed.

“My Room Children’s Cancer Charity funded my in-home physiotherapy,” James says.

“They got maine backmost connected my feet.”

Moving forward

Today, James plays bouzouki again, studies law, and dreams of contributing to the world with the aforesaid resilience that carried him done cancer.

“I wouldn’t wish the travel connected anyone,” helium says, “but I tin say: you tin get done it.”

James with his family. Photo: Supplied