She decided to go ahead with the treatment - a process that involves collecting, treating and inserting her own stem cells back into the body, all while removing any damaged cells. 'I went through a period of self-hate and couldn't accept that fate. I was always asking myself "why me?" I didn't want to believe it,' she said. Although the stem cell transplant was painful, it was 50 per cent successful. This meant her symptoms were reduced by half. Both before and after the transplant she had six sessions of chemotherapy which came with various side effects including hair loss, insomnia, infertility, nausea, and weight loss. 'It took me about a year to get back on my feet,' Claudia said. Unfortunately in 2018 Claudia relapsed and the disease targeted her lungs. As a result she now has a lingering and chronic cough.
