Psychology student, Courtney Whithorn is forced to have her thumb amputated after developing rare skin cancer from years of biting her nails after constant bullying.
A student who developed a rare form of skin cancer after constantly biting her nails following constant bullying has had to have her thumb amputated.
Courtney Whithorn, now 20, started what she described as a ‘nervous habit’ after being bullied at school, which led to her biting her thumb nail clean off in 2014. Despite ‘freaking out’ when her thumb started to turn black, the embarrassed, then teen, kept it hidden from her family and friends by keeping her hands in a fist and wearing fake nails for four years.
Whithorn’s attempts to keep her deteriorating condition a secret led the psychology student had causing havoc to her nail bed that it developed into a rare cancer type named acral lentiginous subungual melanoma.
The development according to the girl originally hailing from the UK‘s Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, who moved to The Gold Coast, Australia, nine years ago left her ‘shattered’.
Explained Whithorn via Mercury Press and Media, ‘When I found out that biting my nail off was the cause of the cancer it shattered me.
‘In my head I thought “I’ve done this to myself” but obviously I knew I shouldn’t have that mentality. I couldn’t believe it.’
Woman, 20, has thumb amputated after nail biting habit ’causes cancer’ https://t.co/Xpc8YUjkWC pic.twitter.com/9Xj6jBZu42
— The Sun (@TheSun) September 6, 2018
Courtney Whithorn receives ‘shocking’ diagnosis.
Since her diagnosis in July, Courtney has had to have four surgeries. Despite attempts to save her thumb, Courtney’s fourth surgery which took place last week saw it completely removed.
Told Courtney, ‘When you think about it how many kids bite their nails it’s crazy it came to that. ‘I got a bit freaked out when my skin started to go black so I showed them for the first time this year.’
She added: ‘I can’t even explain how self-conscious I was. When the nail grew out it was like paper.’
She went to a doctor for cosmetic reasons and was referred to a plastic surgeon who suggested removing the nail bed to get rid of the black.
But before the first surgery, the doctor could tell something was wrong and did a biopsy.
Offered Courtney. ‘They did more tests and when those results came back, I was told that it was a malignant melanoma which was very rare to have there, especially for someone my age and at that size. ‘I was obviously very shocked I couldn’t believe it at all. My mum just burst into tears.’
Woman issues urgent warning to nail-biters after she’s forced to have her thumb amputated https://t.co/cyncWNsrrj pic.twitter.com/oc9Jf4WLbp
— Fabulous (@Fabulousmag) September 6, 2018
Courtney Whithorn only option left was amputation:
After Courtney’s second surgery to remove her nail bed, she had a PET scan to produce a detailed 3D image of the inside of her thumb and no more cancerous cells were found. But panic arose when just a week after thinking she had the all clear, specialists in Sydney told Courtney’s surgeon that the protocol for her form of melanoma is amputation.
The surgeon decided to first perform a third surgery, creating a wider incision in Courtney’s thumb to remove any more malignant cells – but that operation only confirmed the need to amputate from above the knuckle.
Courtney, who is still recovering from her amputation, said, ‘The plastic surgeon texted me saying that protocol for this melanoma, because it’s so rare, is amputation. ‘I had a panic attack at work, I read the word “amputation” and ran outside – I couldn’t breathe. ‘My mum had to come to my work, my boss was tying my hair up and wafting my shirt. I freaked out – we’d never even spoken about amputation.’
Adding, ‘Because it had started to travel, the only option left was amputation but this time I was much more prepared for that news. ‘I wasn’t scared going in for the amputation surgery – I was more nervous as I’m not a big fan of needles and stuff.’
The experience has led to the student having to defer her studies at Griffiths University to recover. Courtney is still waiting for the results from her surgery and the surgeon will keep an eye on it for the next five years with regular scans.
Continued Courtney, ‘There’s not enough research to say what the survival rate is or what the likelihood of it coming back is because – we just don’t know much about it. I’ve just cried every time it’s been brought up.’
According to Courtney, her condition stems from her resorting to biting her nails, when at the age of 16 she became the victim of school bulling – and reckoning with stress and anxiety.
Explained Courtney, ‘I’ve been a nail biter my whole life, but in 2014 I was in year 11 in high school and I was chronically bullied.’
‘Rumors were started about me and if I sat with people at lunch they would completely ignore me like I didn’t exist. Nail biting became a coping mechanism for me. I didn’t even realize I’d bitten my whole thumb nail off until I saw how much blood was on my hand.’
After her classmate Tyson Donnelly, now 20, stuck up for her during the intense bullying, he and Courtney became more than just friends – and have been dating for four years.
Courtney now wants to share her story to raise awareness: ‘If I could say anything it would be just stand up for yourself – absolutely no matter what it takes just stand up for yourself.’
Adding, ‘Some people have asked me who my biggest hero is or biggest influencer is and now I say “me”. Be your own person and be who you need to be.’
