N.S. woman who fought 4 years for cancer diagnosis urges others to be ‘persistent’

For four years, doctors told Laura Landry-Rudolph the growing and painful rash on her inner thigh as 'chafing' or perhaps 'eczema.' It turns out it was a rare form of cancer.

For four years, doctors told Laura Landry-Rudolph the growing and painful rash on her inner thigh was “chafing” or perhaps “eczema.”

And for four years, Landry-Rudolph persisted something much more serious was going on.

In an emotional Facebook live video last month, the 32-year-old from Antigonish, N.S., shared what a dermatologist’s biopsy had finally revealed: cancer.

“The health-care system is f—ed,” she said through tears. “Why did it take my doctors four years, four years?! Thinking it was f—ing chafing in my inner thigh? And now it’s spread, and now I have to find out if it’s in my blood.”

Speaking to Global News, Landry-Rudolph said she wanted to share her story so that others know to speak out if they notice something wrong with their bodies.

“You know your body, you trust your gut. And my message, simply, is you have to advocate for yourself and be persistent in getting the answers that you deserve,” she said.

Her official diagnosis is cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, which is an uncommon type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Landry-Rudolph’s symptoms began after she became pregnant with her first son. She said she noticed a reddish-purple rash and visited her family doctor, who prescribed her some creams.