‘Doctors thought I was a hypochondriac – watching Love Island saved my life after I saw Demi Jones had the same symptoms’
A woman has shared how watching Love Island helped to save her life – after she realised her strange health symptoms matched reality star Demi Jones’.
Antonia Rubio was experiencing a slew of strange symptoms including facial rashes and feeling tired, but claims doctors dismissed her as a “hypochondriac” and said she “looked too good” to be seriously unwell.
But when a lump developed on the side of her neck, the 25-year-old knew something was amiss – and recalled the Love Island season six fan favourite having a similar issue, prior to being diagnosed with cancer.
After “not taking no for an answer”, more tests were completed, and Antonia was given the devastating news that, at just 24, she had stage two thyroid cancer.
Now, after 10 months treatment, Antonia has been given the all-clear, and is sharing her story in the hopes that it will urge other young people to advocate for themselves.
“I think it’s so important that people in the spotlight like Demi share their experiences, because I wanted to push for more tests – and knowing she did the same gave me even more courage,” Antonia, a former financial administrator from Jersey, told Need To Know.
“Doctors were telling me that I was young and that I ‘looked too good to have cancer’ but what does cancer look like? It can be different for different people.”
“I think that my age group can often be forgotten about by doctors – they just think you’re young and healthy.”
Prior to her diagnosis, Antonia had been feeling unwell dating back to late 2020, and had been to the doctors and hospital over a dozen times.
In November, she noticed a rash on her face while having dinner with her housemate caused by a reaction to food.
She went into anaphylactic shock and was taken to hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
She said: “I was given an EpiPen and steroids and an appointment to see a specialist in a year’s time.
“I kept going back to the doctors between November 2020 and February 2021 and they thought that I was just anxious or a hypochondriac.
“Because I was a student at the time, they asked if I smoked or drank, but I didn’t do either as I was very health conscious.”
Battling exhaustion and feeling generally unwell, Antonia was advised to defer her university spot for a year, but decided instead to move back to Jersey and study remotely – until she became too poorly to continue.
Back home, she was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease – but then in late 2021 noticed a lump on her neck.
This, paired with the excessive tiredness, raised alarm bells, and reminded the young woman of Demi Jones reporting a similar experience.
Antonia insisted the doctors conduct further tests.
She said: “I didn’t take no for an answer.
“They thought my lump was a slow-growing nodule but because I sing, I wanted it examined thoroughly and pushed for an ultrasound and biopsy.
“I had to wait for a year because of the Covid backlog and they came back as inconclusive.
“I’d read an article about Demi, whose ultrasound was also inconclusive, and who was only diagnosed with thyroid cancer after she paid for a private biopsy.
“She was 23, so around my age and, like me, she looked healthy.
“She’d just been on Love Island for the first time, and she looked great.
“Her story had stuck with me, so I decided to go private for the surgery as I just knew something wasn’t right.”
In April 2023, the lump was removed, and had grown from 2cm to 4cm from the first inspection the previous month. Doctors also found two smaller lumps growing behind it.
A week later, Antonia was diagnosed with thryoid cancer – over two years after first reporting her symptoms.
She said: “I felt a mixture of emotions as no one wants to hear the words ‘you have cancer’, but I also felt relief as I had found an answer and that I was right all along that something was going on.”
In April last year, she had another surgery to remove the rest of her thyroid and some surrounding lymph nodes, and underwent radioactive iodine treatment.
Antonia said of her experience: “The treatment was hard as it takes awhile to come up with a clear plan.
“It was physically and mentally exhausting but I kept reminding myself it was temporary and I would get through this.”
In January this year, she was finally given the all-clear.
She said: “It didn’t feel real at the time and took some months to sink in.
“I was in survival mode during my treatment so once I got the all clear that’s when the hard work began.
“Recovery is hard but rewarding and I’ve used the past year to reflect and process what happened to me.
“Sharing my story with others and helping people going through a similar journey had been healing and therapeutic to me.”
Now, Antonia has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) to help raise awareness of symptoms that are exhibited by young people – and the importance of self-advocacy.
She added: “You know your own body better than anyone, so if you’ve had symptoms for a while and you aren’t satisfied by what the doctors are telling you then please just keep persevering.
“Ask yourself: ‘Do I feel different? Am I more tired than usual? Do I feel itchy? Have I been losing weight for no reason?’
“[In my case], I just knew that something wasn’t right.”
TCT research has found that just 17% of 13-24-year-olds know all five of the main warning signs of cancer in young people, which are: lumps, bumps and swellings, unexplained tiredness, mole changes, persistent pain, significant weight change.
Louise Soanes, chief nurse at TCT, said: “It’s so important to know your own body to be able to spot any changes.
“Although cancer in young people is rare, it does happen, so it’s really important that young people know the most common signs.
“If you feel that something is wrong then speak to your GP.
“It might not be cancer but if you’re worried it’s important to get checked out and give the doctor as much information as possible.”
READ MORE: Five-year-old fighting for life after being diagnosed with one of Britain’s rarest diseases
