‘I thought symptoms were menopause – then I was rushed to hospital’

A woman who attributed fatigue and night sweats to menopause was diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer. Sharron Clarke, 54, led an extremely healthy and active lifestyle, despite feeling “tired and a little sweaty” but dismissed the symptoms as menopause-related.

But hours after a hiking trip, Sharron found herself in hospital fighting for survival after experiencing severe chest pain. The mattress factory worker was taken to the emergency room with suspected heart failure.

By the end of that day, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML); it was an aggressive blood cancer that he, like many others, never associated with his age or his symptoms. Sharron underwent intense chemotherapy and additional treatments that left her extremely uncomfortable; At one stage he even suffered bleeding behind his eyes due to low platelet levels, resulting in permanent vision damage.

Fortunately, he recovered as a result and continues maintenance treatments until 2027, sharing his experience to raise awareness of leukemia symptoms.

Mum-of-two Sharron said: “I was perfectly fine that morning. I was up with my friends at three-thirty, climbing Catbells for sunrise. I felt mostly healthy and active; there was nothing about me that said ‘seriously ill’.”

“I’d never been sick in my life, other than the odd cold. So when I started feeling tired and a little sweaty, I thought it was just my age. I didn’t go to the doctor. I just assumed it was menopause.

“I never thought I’d get leukemia. I thought it was a childhood disease or something that happened to older people.

“It could have gone very differently. I know how lucky I am.”

Sharron had no symptoms or health conditions before the hiking trip on July 26, 2025, when she set out with friends to climb Catbells mountain in Cumbria. But when he started experiencing severe chest pains, an ambulance was called and paramedics took him to hospital, initially suspecting a heart attack.

He was taken to the hospital on a blue light, where tests revealed that the chest pain he was experiencing was actually bone pain from leukemia. Within days, Sharron was transferred to Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, where she began intensive chemotherapy and treatment with doxorubicin, the chemotherapy drug known as the “red devil”.

He said: “You only have two choices. Sit down and feel sorry for yourself or fight it. I chose to fight.”

Sharron, who has been in recovery since September 2025, returned to her position at a local mattress factory with reduced hours after initially taking leave for a longer period of time. He is also slowly regaining his fitness, returning to walking and running as much as possible; including completing a 5km run, albeit with breaks.

He said: “Things are good at the moment. I’m in deep recovery. I hope it stays that way.”

Sharron found the quote a nurse once told her, “Be a warrior, not a worryer,” to be very motivating.

He continued: “There’s no point in worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. You just have to stay strong and take each day as it comes.”

Colin Dyer, CEO Leukemia CareHe said: “Sharron’s story perfectly illustrates why our Spot Leukemia campaign is important. She was a fit, active woman who thought her symptoms were just part of menopause. “A few hours after climbing a mountain she was told she had an aggressive form of blood cancer.

“Leukemia doesn’t discriminate and its symptoms are often easy to ignore, so raising awareness is vital. The sooner people recognize the signs and seek help, the sooner they can receive potentially life-saving treatment. We’re incredibly proud of Sharron for sharing her experience and helping others understand that it’s always worth checking if something doesn’t feel right.”