'You will fight this' - Community's support for mum's cancer battle after shock diagnosis at age 30

Ashleigh Palmer, from Washington, was diagnosed with stage 2 Lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma earlier this month after discovering lump on her collar bone.

She booked in to see a doctor, despite showing no other symptoms and not feeling unwell, to be dealt the devastating blow weeks later.

Now, she’s sharing her story to raise awareness and encourage others to get checked out.

Her honesty has inspired dozens of Echo readers, who have sent their own messages of support to Ashleigh as she undergoes treatment.

Here are some of your messages of support from the Sunderland Echo Facebook page:

Jean Thurlbeck: “Thank you for sharing your story and creating awareness of the symptoms, good luck with your treatment sending love to you and your family.”

Lesley Straty: “Wow, what a wonderful thing, to think of others at such a difficult time in your own life. Wishing you all the best for your future.”

Katy Marie Lawson: “Good luck for your treatment and recovery! Such a lovely thing to do, thinking of others when you’re poorly.”

Julie Dalton: “I'm so sorry for your news, hope your treatment goes well, what a lovely thing your doing donating your hair to others. Wishing you a speedy recovery.”

Karen Bentham Smith: “Good luck with your treatment, everyone on the Phoenix ward at Sunderland are amazing you will be well looked after. They were amazing to me when I found a lump on my neck last April turned out to be stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma, after intensive chemo I got the all clear last October, you will get through it, stay strong lots of love to you and your family.”

Lynndsey Long: “You’re a strong, amazing woman and you will fight this.”

Anita Short: “Thank you for sharing your story, good luck, it's made me make [an] appointment to get lump on my shoulder checked now.”

Lauren Elise Davis: “Good luck for your treatment, I finished radiotherapy after intensive chemo for stage 2 Hodgkin's disease too in January this year. The staff on the Phoenix Unit are wonderful.”