Cancer patient who faced disease 3 times describes sensations that warned her 'something wasn't right' ()
<iframe frameborder="0" height="100%" scrolling="no" src="https://www.gbnews.com/res/scraper/embed/?video_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm-v2.simplestream.com%2Fiframe%2Fplayer.php%3Fkey%3D3Li3Nt2Qs8Ct3Xq9Fi5Uy0Mb2Bj0Qs%26player%3DGB003%26uvid%3D52880880%26type%3Dvod%26viously_id%3Do67EC0_SsTi" width="100%"></iframe><br/><p>Non-specific symptoms are common with cancer, and they're also caused by other conditions, making them notoriously hard to diagnose. </p><p>For a subset of the population, the signs go unchecked until they interfere with day-to-day life, at which point a poor prognosis is more likely. </p><h3></h3><br/><p>Eldiara Doucette, known as Bionic Barbie online, was just 19 when she was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue cancer that affects only about 1,000 people per year.</p><p>In October 2024, Eldiara’s condition recurred for the third time, leaving her in need of life-changing surgery.</p><h3></h3><br/><div class="embed-latest"></div><h3></h3><br/><img alt="Eldiara addressing followers" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="90ccf2279a2bf2c8c9f8ac88dcdc1331" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="88267" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/eldiara-addressing-followers.jpg?id=60243240&width=980"/><p>Now aged 23, the TikTok star has shared a video with her followers describing the symptoms that alerted her that "something wasn’t right".</p><p>"Number one was pain in an area where I didn’t really have any reason to be experiencing pain," she explained. </p><p>"I would get shooting pain in my fingers and hands that I assumed was carpal tunnel syndrome - I didn’t really have any other explanation for it.</p><p>"It was just a persistent, nagging pain that got worse over the years. That pain turned out to be caused by the tumour pressing on the median nerve in my elbow, which then radiated down into my fingertips.</p><p>"I also started to experience numbness and tingling in places where I shouldn’t have. This happened as the tumour grew and began compressing that nerve. I started to lose some blood flow and sensation in my fingertips.</p><h3></h3><br/><div class="embed-dontmiss"></div><h3></h3><br/><p>"I experienced pretty dramatic weight loss—I lost 10 pounds over the course of a month."</p><p>Tumours in soft tissue that cause unusual bodily sensations are often linked to nerve compression and irritation.</p><p>In rare cases, they may stem from direct nerve involvement and pain perception, or even chemicals produced by the growth itself.</p><p>In Eldiara's case, the physical discomfort led to a reduced range of motion and limited ability to use her hand.</p><p>"The type of cancer I have is sarcoma, which is a tissue and bone cancer that can occur anywhere in the body," she explained.</p><h3></h3><br/><div class="embed-mostread"></div><p><strong>LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/health/dementia-writing-test-early-signs-brain-decline" target="_self">Dementia: Simple test could reveal early signs of brain decline in just 60 seconds</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/health/high-blood-pressure-lower-levels-chocolate" target="_self">High blood pressure: UK's favourite snack linked to significant reductions</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/health/health-cognitive-decline-top-food-diet" target="_self">Nutritionist names top foods 'every woman over 50 should be eating' to combat cognitive decline</a></li></ul><h3></h3><br/><img alt="Eldiara addressing followers" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9ccd8880d609c10b2134909bcc1144c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="0829e" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/eldiara-addressing-followers.jpg?id=60243279&width=980"/><p>Early detection is key to survival, so the TikTok star urges others to stay alert to any unusual changes in physical health.</p><p>"If you notice a mass, whether it’s painful or painless, if it’s unusual or causing issues, even if it’s just visually noticeable, get it checked out," Eldiara noted.</p><p>"Best-case scenario, it’s nothing - just a lipoma, which is a benign fatty tumour. Worst-case scenario, it’s cancerous.</p><p>"But with sarcomas, early intervention is key. You have a much better chance of surviving if you get it treated as soon as possible."</p>
