A teenage social media influencer has taken to TikTok to share his cancer journey in hopes of alerting others to potential warning signs of lymphoma.
Ben Grosskopf, aged 17, posted a video detailing the symptoms he experienced before receiving his diagnosis, aiming to help viewers distinguish between ordinary stomach discomfort and more serious health concerns.
The young content creator's decision to speak openly about his medical experience comes as he seeks to raise awareness about symptoms that might otherwise be overlooked or dismissed, particularly among younger people who may not recognise the early indicators of lymphoma.
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The teenager described experiencing a distinctive burning sensation in his stomach
|TIKTOK / @BEN
Ben described experiencing a distinctive burning sensation in his stomach, which he characterised as feeling like being stabbed with a heated rod at a specific, identifiable location.
"I would describe it as a burning pain, keyword, burning. It felt like something was stabbing me with a hot rod, at a very localised spot in my stomach. I could point to where the pain is; if you can point to where it is, that would be a problem," Grosskopf explained.
He also revealed suffering from severe bowel irregularity, going without bathroom visits for one to two weeks at a time, which he initially considered normal due to its prolonged occurrence.
During a visit to the Colosseum in Rome, Grosskopf suddenly collapsed and was taken to the hospital, where medical scans revealed inflammation, though no immediate action was taken.
"I was in Rome at the Colosseum and then boom, I collapsed. I went to the hospital and they ran scans. They found inflammation, but ultimately did not do anything," he recounted.
The teenager highlighted a particularly significant symptom: his inability to extend his spine while lying in bed, which forced him to sleep hunched over at his desk.
"Every night I went to bed, I could not lie down because it felt like something was being stretched in my stomach," he explained.
The content creator detailed additional symptoms, including skin rashes that appeared as small hive-like marks across his body.
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Persistent symptoms warrant prompt medical attention
|GETTY
Near the time of his diagnosis, he found himself unable to retain food, regurgitating everything he consumed.
"I couldn't keep anything down close to my diagnosis, I was just regurgitating everything that I ate.
"I was super tired all the time, and I was just in a constant state of fatigue at a certain point, and I was pretty irritable," Grosskopf shared.
The teenager hopes to encourage others experiencing unusual, persistent symptoms to seek medical attention rather than dismissing them as normal occurrences.