A mother of two was given a dire prognosis by doctors who informed her that she had only 24 hours to live due to an aggressive form of cancer that was causing severe internal distress.
Rafaela Ribeiro’s health crisis began with a rapid and significant weight loss of nearly three stone within a few weeks earlier this year. Despite the alarming weight loss, the 24-year-old, who boasts a substantial following of almost 600,000 on Instagram, initially brushed off her concerns.
“I initially believed everything was normal, just a rapid weight loss,” said Rafaela, a real estate agent residing in São Paulo, Brazil. “I never anticipated it would turn out to be something more serious.”
However, Rafaela was eventually diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare and aggressive cancer affecting the lymphatic system. She experienced a series of symptoms including a persistent dry cough, swelling in her neck and armpits, and difficulty swallowing solid food due to pressure from a tumour in her chest.
Initially misdiagnosed with pneumonia or an allergic cough, Rafaela’s condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to scans that uncovered the devastating reality of her situation.
“The tumours were exerting immense pressure internally,” she explained. “My oesophagus was constricted, and the pressure from the tumours made me feel as though my heart was being overwhelmed.”
Subsequently, Rafaela began chemotherapy, but her battle took a harrowing turn when she contracted a dangerous hospital-acquired infection during treatment. This complication forced her into a nine-day induced coma, with doctors cautioning her husband, Michell, that she might not survive the night.
“They informed my husband that I could pass away within 24 hours. Remarkably, I pulled through,” Rafaela recounted.
Reflecting on her experience, Rafaela believes that the coma ultimately played a pivotal role in her recovery. “The fasting period during the coma aided in achieving remission,” she stated. “If I hadn’t encountered that infection and slipped into a coma, the disease might have been uncontrollable.”
Currently in remission, Rafaela is eagerly anticipating receiving CAR-T cell therapy, an innovative immunotherapy that trains the body’s cells to target and eliminate cancer cells.
“The disease is currently stable, under control, though still present,” she disclosed. “I am eagerly awaiting cell therapy.”
Throughout her challenging journey, Rafaela expressed immense gratitude for the unwavering support of her husband, Michell, with whom she shares two sons, aged eight and two.
“He was my rock throughout it all,” Rafaela acknowledged. “I couldn’t have navigated this without him by my side.”