Overview
- A PET scan dated May 10, 2021 showed Luke Cowan was in complete remission after treatment for stage 4 anaplastic T‑cell lymphoma.
- His illness began as a dull ache in a right‑thigh lymph node in June 2020 and escalated through a July A&E visit, an August biopsy and a collapse with life‑threatening organ failure at the end of September that led to intensive care.
- Doctors told Cowan he had about a 30% chance of survival when he entered intensive care, and he subsequently received eight rounds of chemotherapy.
- Chemotherapy caused severe side effects and complications, including a PICC‑line infection and shingles, and Cowan had to relearn to walk and rebuild his strength with help from Teenage Cancer Trust after losing substantial weight.
- Now 32, Cowan has returned to endurance running, completed multiple half‑marathons and is training for the Shoreditch Half in September 2026, a recovery story that highlights the rarity of the disease and the role of rehab, charity support and awareness in long‑term survivorship.