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Sophie Norman: I am grateful for my treatment plan and the fact that it worked

The Institute of Cancer Research/LinkedIn

Jun 22, 2025, 11:26

Sophie Norman: I am grateful for my treatment plan and the fact that it worked

The Institute of Cancer Research shared a post on LinkedIn:

” ‘I am grateful for my treatment plan and the fact that it worked’

Sophie Norman had just turned 16 when she was diagnosed with the blood cancer acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in the summer of 2021. Now aged 19 and cancer free, she is studying Biochemistry at Bath University. She is looking forward to a career in medical research, inspired by the scientists she met during a work experience placement in our ICR Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery.

In August 2021, Sophie started to experience shortness of breath and fatigue, and tests revealed she had leukaemia. She had intense intravenous chemo treatment for several months, followed by a long period of daily maintenance chemo. In December 2023, her treatment finished. She was told she was cancer free and was unlikely to face a relapse.

“These days, cancer doesn’t really cross my mind anymore. I look back and think of it as just something that happened to me. My ALL diagnosis confirmed what I had previously believed anyway – that cancer research is so important. So many people are affected by cancer every day. For me, I am grateful for the treatments I have had and for the fact that they have worked. I know this is thanks to research”.

There are more than 100 different types of blood cancer, but our research is helping more people like Sophie survive. A regular gift will support the vital work that our scientists are doing to discover new smarter, targeted treatments, so please donate today.

Read Sophie’s full story here.”

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