Waitress who was diagnosed with leukaemia and told she ‘may die before Christmas’ defies doctors to get the all clear

October 4, 2016

Chloe Pinder was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia last year
She underwent 10 months of chemotherapy in a bid to fight the disease
However, doctors said there was a chance she may not survive until 2017
But after the ‘toughest year’ of her life, she has now been given the all clear

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
09:31 EST, 4 October 2016

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Updated:
09:48 EST, 4 October 2016

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A 24-year-old woman who was diagnosed with leukaemia and told she may not live to Christmas has defied doctors’ expectations – and been given the all clear.

Chloe Pinder, from Holton-le-Clay, Lincolnshire, was diagnosed with the disease in September last year.

She underwent 10 months of chemotherapy in a bid to fight the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – but doctors said there was a chance she wouldn’t reach 2017.

But now, after experiencing the ‘toughest year’ of her life, her battle is drawing to a close as she has been given the all clear.

Chloe Pinder, 24, from Holton-le-Clay, Lincolnshire, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in September last year

Doctors hope she has just one last hurdle to complete – a bone marrow transplant to prevent her getting leukaemia again in the future.

Miss Pinder said: ‘It was really hard to adapt to the lifestyle after living a normal life.

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‘Having to adjust to being in hospital and the effects that chemotherapy has on your body was hard.

‘When I was told that I might not make it past Christmas, it put life into perspective for me. It was absolutely amazing when I got the all clear.

‘But I’m a fighter and I still manage to get up now to put my lipstick on. I just can’t wait to get back to normality.’

She underwent 10 months of chemotherapy in a bid to fight the disease – but doctors said there was a chance she wouldn’t reach 2017. But now, after experiencing the ‘toughest year’ of her life, her battle is drawing to a close as she has been given the all clear

Her mother, Hayley Mennell, had to take six months off from her job to care for her daughter, and says that the family can’t wait to the experience behind them.

She said: ‘We’ve had lots of ups and downs but we have got through it. She has fought every step of the way and soon we will be able to move on.

‘Chloe stayed positive all the way through it and took it in her stride. She is one strong young lady who has gone through a lot.

‘We just can’t wait to get our lives back on track.’

Miss Pinder used to work as a waitress at the Millfields Hotel in Grimsby but was forced to quit after her diagnosis.

Her family, friends and former colleagues attended a fundraising event at the hotel aimed at raising cash to help support her family during her recovery period.

They hoped to raise around £1,000 to help pay for the family’s travel expenses and accommodation in Sheffield – where she will undergo surgery.

Doctors hope she has just one last hurdle to complete – a bone marrow transplant to prevent her getting leukaemia again in the future. The treatment will force her to spend more than half a year recovering before some form of normality can be restored in her life

Duty Manager Stuart Andrews said: ‘Chloe was a valued member of staff and she has been through an awful lot.

‘We would love to send her family on holiday once it’s all over because it has been stressful for them.

‘Chloe has always been a fighter and it’s great that there’s so much support here tonight for her.’

Miss Pinder added how it was overwhelming to see hoards of people turn out to show their support for her.

She said she was comforted by knowing that so many people were there to raise money for the family.

WHAT IS ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA?

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells.

Acute leukaemia means the condition progresses rapidly and aggressively and requires immediate treatment.

It is classified according to the type of white blood cells affected by cancer. There are two main types:

Lymphocytes – which are mostly used to fight viral infections

Neutrophils – which perform several functions, such as fighting bacterial infections, defending the body against parasites and preventing the spread of tissue damage