‘Most draining things I’ve ever been through’: Woman told she’s too young told she has cancer

This 28-year-old single mum’s Christmas plans have been ruined after she was dealt a devastating diagnosis she never expected.

Young mum Georgia Batten said she told doctors she felt she was choking but they dismissed her symptoms until they finally discovered the horrifying truth.

Georgia had been living with thyroid cancer.

“They kept dismissing it, ‘you’re fine, you’re too young, nothing’s wrong’,” the 28-year-old told The Advertiser.

“They told me it was almost impossible to have thyroid cancer at my age.”

Now the mum-of-one is facing Christmas recovering from surgery to remove the second half of her thyroid before she undergoes radiation therapy.

“Mentally this has been really one of the most draining things I’ve ever been through,” the Andrews Farm woman said.

Georgia Batten, 28, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, with her eight year old daughter Jazmin. Picture: Supplied

In January a lump on her jawline, extreme fatigue and constant ear aches made Georgia seek doctors’ advice and in June a biopsy of the jawline lump found there were precancerous cells.

Following that procedure, doctors sent her home but Georgia began to feel as though she was choking and went to the emergency department.

“They dismissed it as nothing really wrong so I went home,” she said.

Eventually she went to another doctor.

“I demanded a sort of biopsy to happen … because I felt like I was choking constantly and struggling to breathe and swallow,” she said.

“They dismissed any sort of symptoms I had for a good three to six months, till I kept complaining.”

The doctor ordered a biopsy of her thyroid which came back inconclusive and a month later Georgia went for another one, not satisfied with the results.

“They called me at seven o’clock at night and told me,” she said.

The 28-year-old had thyroid cancer and needed to undergo surgery straight away to remove half of her thyroid.

Georgia Batten had surgery in June. Picture: Supplied

Georgia’s scars from her surgery. Picture: Supplied

While she underwent surgery the cancer has continued to spread and now she will need to undergo radiation through Christmas.

“No one ever thought about my thyroid … they kept putting cameras down my throat saying it looked fine,” she said.

“I feel very disappointed.”

Georgia is sad that she won’t get to celebrate Christmas the way she wanted to with her eight-year-old daughter Jazmin Norman.

“(I’m) very sad for my daughter and my family for what I have to go through and what they need to witness,” she said.

“Christmas looks very dull to be honest, back home and starting radiation is what it looks like this year.

“I was planning on going away a few months ago but I’ve had to put that on hold till I don’t even know when.”

Georgia’s daughter Jazmin knows her mum has cancer but she doesn’t quite understand.

“I don’t want to miss out on too much time with her,” Georgia said.

“She’s the most positive little girl I’ve ever met. She’ll sit next to me, get me water, she’ll say ‘everything’s going to be okay mummy’, she’s beautiful, she’ll get me a blanket, she’ll do anything, she’s a gorgeous little girl.”

While her daughter has remained a positive force for Georgia, there are times it has been difficult for the 28-year-old.

“Sometimes I think ‘why me?’ and I feel sorry for myself, but I try and keep my chin up and I have no choice but to go through it,” she said.

If you want to donate to Georgia, you can here.