The mother and daughter diagnosed with the SAME cancer at exactly the SAME age - even though it's not hereditary

Christina Jones, now 55, developed Hodgkin's Lymphoma aged 24

• She beat the disease and went on to have daughter Phillippa in 1988
• In 2011, Phillippa showed unusual symptoms and doctors confirmed she had not only developed same disease, but at same age as her mother
• It is not thought to be a cancer that is passed down through families

A mother and daughter have spoken of their experience of both being diagnosed with the same cancer at exactly the same age. 

Christina Jones, 55, from Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, was diagnosed with the blood cancer Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 24 in 1982.
She beat the condition and, despite being told she may not be able to have children, gave birth to daughter Philippa in 1988.

Astonishingly, Phillippa was diagnosed with the same condition in 2011, despite the cancer not being considered to have a strong hereditary link.

Christina Jones and her daughter Phillippa were both diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma aged 24 - despite the fact the cancer is not thought to have a genetic link

‘I couldn’t believe that Phillippa could have the same disease as me at exactly the same age - especially as family history isn’t thought to play a role,’ said Christina

Indeed although there can be a slightly increased risk of developing the cancer if a close relative has suffered with the condition, it is not known whether genes or a shared lifestyle play the deciding role.

'It's an amazing story because the the risk of two relatives getting the cancer is very low,' said Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK.
Christina said she knew that something was wrong when she developed a lump on the side of her neck as a young woman.

‘Almost overnight, a lump appeared - but I thought it was nothing, so I left it for a couple of weeks. But it didn’t disappear and it was totally painless which is a key symptoms of Hodgkin’s.’

Christine eventually saw a doctor who sent her for blood tests. They showed an abnormality and a biopsy confirmed that she had cancer but that it was only in the early stages – between stage two and three.

Survivors: The mother daughter duo said they weren't frightened about their diagnoses and tried to remain positive throughout their cancer treatment

Phillippa, now 25, said that having a mother who had been through the same ordeal was reassuring. Philippa's cancer was more advanced than her mother's when diagnosed and she underwent both chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Because the cancer was contained, she underwent four weeks of targeted radiotherapy.

‘It was tough – I felt nauseous constantly and of course the insides of my mouths were raw from radiation burns,’ she said.

But Christina said she wasn’t scared about the diagnosis because in the Eighties, people were far less aware of the gravity of cance, she says.

‘Back then you just had to get on with it – there was less support. To tell you the truth, I needed it explained to me that lymphoma was a cancer of the blood because it just wasn’t publicised then.

‘I’m an optimistic person, too, and I just didn’t think to get too down about it.’

Christina was later given the all clear and has enjoyed good health ever since.

Christina admitted that in 2011 she hadn’t given much thought to her cancer in many years so when daughter Philippa started to exhibit certain symptoms, she didn't think it could be the same cancer she had suffered with three decades before.
Hodgkins lymphoma (cells pictured) is a disease of the white blood cells and make sufferers more prone to infection

'My lump was smaller than Mum's and didn't grow anywhere near as fast, no none of us thought it could be the beginnings of the same disease,' said Phillippa.
Eventually the symptoms worsened and Philippa began to lose weight, suffered night sweats, abdominal pain - which doctors later discovered was caused by an enlarged spleen.

Doctors sent her for an ultrasound scan but because they didn't think it was urgent, she didn't receive the results for a month.
By the time the scan came back in August she had developed another lump under her arm.
Phillippa was given an immediate biopsy she was given the news that was suffering with Hodgkin's lymphoma within 24 hours.
'It was bizarre being given the same news but I didn't panic,' said Phillippa. 'There were a couple of tears but it was so good to know I wasn't alone because Mum had been through the same.'

'You don't want to burden your friends with your worries about cancer, so knowing I had Mum who had been through it all before made it feel like I could confide in her.'


Phillippa's lymphoma was more advanced than her mother's and she was diagnosed with stage three to four cancer.

She was treated at Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green and was given radiotherapy and underwent six cycles of chemotherapy.


Philippa went into remission in January 2012 and was given the all-clear the following month.

She is now feeling 'better than ever' and is enjoying her new job as a charity fundraiser for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.


Philippa and Christina are supporting Cancer Research UK's Race for Life 2013. Run, walk or sponsor. Enter now at raceforlife.org