The symptom you should never ignore: how a 34-year-old mother discovered a rare cancer

A 34-year-old mother is now looking back on her battle with advanced cancer and sharing how she initially dismissed one major warning sign as nothing more than the result of sitting too long at work.

Courtney Leniewski, a resident of Milwaukee, experienced persistent back pain for months. At first, she brushed it off as a consequence of long hours sitting at a desk during the workday. She believed the discomfort was minor and likely caused by poor posture or lack of movement — but over time, she discovered the truth was far more serious.

The Symptoms She Initially Ignored

Toward the end of 2021, Courtney began to feel that something wasn’t right. For months, she experienced sharp and intense pain in the middle of her back, just below her shoulders. She convinced herself it was probably because she “wasn’t moving enough” and was spending too many hours sitting at an office desk.

Like many people, she assumed it was simply fatigue, stress, or lack of exercise.

But as time passed, more alarming symptoms began to appear.

Symptoms That Became Impossible to Ignore

By January, the back pain had worsened significantly, yet Courtney still did not connect all the symptoms together.

She began losing hearing in her left ear, and her nose started “twitching” constantly. Strange symptoms continued to appear — symptoms that could no longer be explained by prolonged sitting alone.

Then one morning in 2022, she woke up after hearing a loud noise inside her head. Although she managed to fall back asleep, things became frightening later that day.

While at work as a crisis counselor at a psychiatric hospital, she noticed that one side of her face had begun to droop. A coworker rushed her to the emergency room because they feared she was having a stroke.

Doctors performed brain imaging scans, but no abnormalities were found. Because Courtney had a history of migraines and anxiety, doctors discharged her once again.

A month later, however, her condition deteriorated further. She developed severe chest pain and became so short of breath that climbing a single flight of stairs felt exhausting.

The Vacation That Saved Her Life

In February, about a month after her ER visit, a vacation to Mexico may have ultimately saved her life.

On the very first morning of the trip, Courtney woke up and discovered a large lump in her neck.

Looking back, she believes the stress of traveling or changes in her immune system may have triggered swelling that made the mass more noticeable. But in hindsight, it became clear that the lump was a critical warning sign.

The lump measured approximately 4.1 centimeters (1.6 inches), and it finally led doctors toward the correct diagnosis. Without it, she may not have met the usual diagnostic criteria for the type of cancer she had developed.

A Rare and Aggressive Cancer Diagnosis

Doctors eventually diagnosed Courtney with a rare form of Grade 3B follicular lymphoma — an aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for roughly 20% of lymphoma cases in the United States.

Typically, follicular lymphoma grows slowly and is most commonly diagnosed in adults around the age of 60. But in Courtney’s case, the disease behaved far more aggressively than usual.

According to her doctors, without treatment, her condition could have become fatal within months.

The Treatment That Saved Her Life

Courtney began chemotherapy just 12 days after receiving her diagnosis. She underwent six rounds of R-CHOP chemotherapy — a common treatment regimen used for aggressive lymphomas.

Today, nearly three years later, she is cancer-free.

However, doctors continue to monitor her closely through regular follow-up scans and appointments because this type of lymphoma carries a relatively high risk of recurrence.

Her Message to Others

Courtney now regularly visits her oncologist and openly speaks about the fear of relapse. But above all, she emphasizes the importance of early detection and paying attention to unusual symptoms.

She urges people not to give up until they receive real answers, to advocate for themselves, and to seek second opinions if something feels wrong.

According to Courtney, fear, anxiety, and social stigma can sometimes discourage people — especially women — from insisting on further medical investigation when symptoms persist.

She also believes that many healthcare systems still underestimate how often serious illnesses can appear in younger people who do not fit the “typical” risk profile.

By sharing her story, Courtney hopes to help others recognize warning signs that are often overlooked and encourage people to trust their instincts when something in their body does not feel normal.

Her message is simple but powerful: Speak up. Ask questions. Push for answers. It could save your life — or someone else’s.

Congratulations on being cancer-free, Courtney, and thank you for helping raise awareness for others.

Please share this story so more people can learn about the warning signs that should never be ignored.