I was unable to dance at my work Christmas party due to back pain – but then I was diagnosed with cancer and my world turned upside down

A woman who was unable to dance at her work Christmas party has told of her shock after discovering her back pain was actually cancer.

Gynaecologist Ellissa Baskind initially thought bending over women for operations was the cause of the discomfort when she was unable to participate in the festive jives.

But the persistence of the pain and its impact on her daily life prompted the 46-year-old to seek medical help – at which point abnormalities were discovered in her blood tests.

A mum-of-two, Ms Baskind had a clear x-ray but was asked to come into hospital after the findings made by doctors.

She was then given the shock diagnosis of leukaemia and told to undergo further tests.

The Leeds local said she was in ‘disbelief’ over the results as the only symptoms she had experienced were back pain between her shoulder blades.

Ms Baskind added: ‘At the time [I was diagnosed] I was doing a lot of operations and you do get yourself into a lot of awkward positions. It’s just the nature of the job.

‘It’s not uncommon in my line of work to have back pain. I was getting pain in my shoulder blades which was keeping me up at night.

‘Even as a doctor, you don’t think of the worst things. I genuinely thought it was related to my work.

‘I never once thought it was something sinister.

‘I wasn’t sure I would make it to the Christmas party because this pain was bothering me so much. It was at the forefront of my mind.

‘The pain stopped me from dancing and being able to enjoy myself fully.’

Speaking of the doctors’ initial brief to her, Ms Baskind said: ‘I remember the conversation quite well. He told me it could be two types of leukaemia and talked about the different treatments for both.

‘There was a lot of disbelief. I felt completely well, it was just the back pain. I felt very well and was working more than full time.

‘All I was thinking was how long until I can go back to normal life and get back to work.

‘It never crossed my mind that it would be anything more serious than chemotherapy. I think I was a bit naive.

‘I stopped myself from thinking anything bad. I didn’t let it into the forefront of my mind.’

After an unsuccessful round of chemotherapy, Ms Baskind was given an urgent stem cell transplant which she underwent during the pandemic before discovering a lump in her breast 18 months later.

Tragically, the mum even resorted to researching hospice care after discovering she had myeloid sarcoma, a rare type of cancerous tumour – but fortunately, another stem cell transplant and further chemotherapy was finally successful.

As a result of the tumour – a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal cells – Ms Baskind had to undergo two rounds of chemotherapy.

She said: ‘When I was in the hospital room on my own, the realisation started to hit that this was real and was actually happening to me.

‘It was strange going from working in this hospital to becoming a patient. I was living in the hospital.

‘There wasn’t a day that passed where a colleague didn’t come and see me. I was very lucky.

‘Looking at the literature, there is no cure for myeloid sarcoma. I believed it was palliative. That night I was looking into hospice care and thought it was the end of the road.

‘The doctors asked me how much fight I had left in me and I said I’m only interested in a cure.

‘They said there is a chance of a cure but it’s very remote and you would need another stem cell transplant.’

She underwent a further stem cell transplant in 2022, which was successful, before completing two more rounds of chemotherapy in June.

Now, the gynecologist is pleased to say she is in ‘the best health’ and has hit five years now which is ‘a real milestone’. 

She added: ‘I’m very fortunate.

‘The best advice I have to people going through cancer treatment is to take each day at a time.

‘I feel so lucky to be alive. And it’s changed the way I approach patients having been one myself.

‘I look back and I felt very well other than that back pain. I could have so easily just gone on with my life and missed it. Please listen to your body and don’t ignore your symptoms; keep pursuing answers and persevere until you know what is going on.’