Self-confessed party girl who blamed her aching legs on too much dancing is horrified to be told she has LEUKAEMIA

A young woman who thought her aching legs were caused by too much dancing in her high heels was shocked to discover she had leukaemia.

Ashton Howard, 28, had been enjoying herself on holidays to Croatia and Ibiza with her friends when she started feeling unwell.

She struggled to get up in the morning and would easily become tired, with aching legs.

On New Year's Eve in 2013, she even worried her drink had been spiked after she felt 'really dizzy' after just one gin and tonic.

But weeks later she was devastated to learn she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells.

Ashton Howard (right) pictured here at a New Year's Eve party in 2013, thought her aching legs and general tiredness were caused by 'burning the candle at both ends' when it was actually caused by leukaemia

Miss Howard initially put her symptoms down to her busy life in London where she worked in business as a franchise coordinator and regularly went out on an evening.

When she started struggling to stand for long periods on the tube and fell asleep during a meeting at work, she dismissed the tiredness as 'overdoing it'.

She said: 'I couldn't even get on the tube if it was busy. I had to have a seat because my legs ached so much.

'Then when I fell asleep in a meeting at work in front of the chief executive officer, I thought I really had been burning the candle at both ends.

'I'd been out every night, and I was looking forward to two weeks off at Christmas to relax and feel better.'

She went home to her parents, Lorraine and Spencer, on the Isle of Wight.

But when her symptoms persisted during the festive break, her family became worried.

'I didn't even feel that ill, but my mum was worried about me,' she said. 

'My main symptom was having achy legs, which I put down to wearing heels and partying too much.'

The following January, Miss Howard visited her GP in south London, fearing she might be anaemic.

Miss Howard was 26 when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, cancer of the white blood cells. She started intensive chemotherapy which caused her hair to fall out

Friends visiting in hospital, wearing gowns and mask, while Miss Howard was undergoing treatment

Miss Howard thought her symptoms were being caused by anaemia and was shocked to learn she had leukaemia and would need intensive chemotherapy, pictured

Miss Howard (left), who lived in London at the time of her diagnosis in 2014, worked hard by day and partied by night so thought she was simply run down. Here she is pictured with best friend Laura wearing a wig 

Chemotherapy caused Miss Howard's hair to fall out and grow back straight when it had previously been curly

The doctor referred her for blood tests at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in south London.

Less than 24 hours after her appointment, she received a phone call from her GP asking her to return to hospital and attend the Macmillan cancer centre.

Miss Howard said she called all her friends, housemates and family and, they set off for the hospital where she underwent numerous scans and tests.

Three days later, she was diagnosed with the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells which typically affects children. 

She was referred to King's College Hospital in central London where she was transferred to Southampton General Hospital in Hampshire for chemotherapy.

Until May 2014, she was kept in isolation due to her weakened immune system.

Fiends and family had to wear masks and gowns if they visited and her diet was hugely restricted. 

'I thought I was suffering from too much dancing and enjoying myself over Christmas. Suddenly I was being told to urgently come to a cancer centre. I was only 26,' she said.

'My life, as I knew it, immediately came crashing to a halt. I was put into isolation for more than six weeks and began an intensive 10 month chemotherapy regime. 

'Due to my weakened immune system I had to spend a lot of time in isolation. I was living and working in London at the time of my diagnosis, but I decided to be treated in Southampton as it was closer to my family, who live on the Isle of Wight.

'After successfully completing the intensive part of my treatment I was put on maintenance chemotherapy tablets which I am still on.'

Miss Howard had her treatment in Southampton so she could be nearer to her family. 

After finishing the intensive courses of treatment, she was put on chemotherapy tablets which she is still taking. 

She was however, pleased with one side effect of treatment.  

Pictured at last year's Bestival with friends, Miss Howard had been on holiday when her symptoms started

Miss Howard (right) says she has now adopted a more relaxing lifestyle which includes yoga, following her treatment and recovery

Pictured last October with her mother during a visit to New York, she has moved back to the Isle of Wight

'I had really curly hair before but it grew back straight which I was delighted with. 

'A lot of people get the 'chemo frizz' but not me. I got so many compliments for my short hair I decided to keep it.'

Miss Howard was in isolation until May last year and lived a flat opposite the hospital which she could only to leave to attend appointments. 

She has since returned to the Isle of Wight after deciding her priorities had changed.  

'I couldn't go back to London although I love visiting,' she said. 'I couldn't handle the tube, the germs and the fast-paced lifestyle.

'I now have a better lifestyle. I do yoga and paddleboard. I love being by the sea.

'I'm not glad I got cancer, but in some respects it has improved my life. It has proved to be a blessing in disguise.

'I've been forced to carve a new life – a better, more fulfilling one. I believe my diagnosis was a wake-up call to change.'

Miss Howard found when she was diagnosed that there was very little support for people of her age group with cancer.

This was until she discovered Trekstock, a charity for young adults with the illness, which she said stopped her feeling isolated.

'I couldn't go back to London although I love visiting,' she said. 'I couldn't handle the tube, the germs and the fast-paced lifestyle,  she said, pictured at last year's festival on the Isle of Wight