Seven years ago, Carol Jempson was diagnosed with stage 4 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and at one stage last year was given just six months to live.

But now she is in remission, and she thanks her six times a week exercise sessions at the National Sports Centre for giving her the stamina to deal with the intensive cancer treatment she has endured.

She said: ‘Over the past seven years I have undergone some very harsh cancer treatments, some of which a person of my age would not be considered strong enough to withstand.

‘However, my consultant and the medical team have always taken the view that I am fit and strong enough to cope.

‘I was always active, but since I retired from work I began regularly attending exercises classes at the NSC taken by fitness instructor Elizabeth Corran, which I continued throughout my many treatments when possible.

‘I truly believe that these have been a contributing factor in my recovery to date.’

Carol was 70 when she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

An active member of the Isle of Man Jewish community who continues to be involved in organising the annual Holocaust memorial service, she had always been fit and healthy.

But in 2017, she noticed a lump, self-diagnosed it on Google and looked up a haematologist in London. Within a week she had begun chemotherapy.

Over the next six months, she travelled to the London clinic every three weeks for her treatment.

Carol was in remission for about three years - and then the cancer came back.

She then underwent stem cell treatment which involved a very difficult round of conditioning chemo. A year later she had relapsed and was given more chemo and then radiotherapy.

‘The next time I went to see the doctor in London he showed me the scan and I was riddled with it,’ she said. ‘I asked him what the prognosis was and he was gave me six months,’ she said.

Carol said the doctor told her that the only thing they could do now was give her CAR-T therapy, which involves removal of T-cells from the body, sending them to States to be genetically modified and then have them infused back into the patient as a ‘living drug’ to destroy cancer cells.

She said: ‘It was really harsh. I had a bad reaction and was in ICU for four days. I was quite ill and in hospital for five weeks.’

Carol came out of hospital and flew home, only to end up in Noble’s with pneumonia.

All the time she was between treatments and out of hospital, Carol has continued doing her exercise classes at the NSC.

She does classes with fitness instructor Elizabeth Corran five times a week and an additional evening circuits session with Rob Timms on Wednesday evenings.

‘I’ve got a really strong core, and the exercise has given me a lot of stamina. It has given me the strength to cope with very tough chemo, stem cell treatment and CAR-T, none of which are easy,’ she said.

Gianni Epifani, physical activity health and wellbeing manager with Manx Sport and Recreation, said: ‘Exercising during illness with the agreement of your health professional can give you the courage to overcome serious health conditions and keeping focused on making a full recovery.’

Carol, a former HR manager at CMI who lives in Douglas with husband Paul, has been busy organising the 2025 National Holocaust Commemoration.

The event takes place on Sunday January 26 at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary of the Isle, Hill Street, Douglas. Everyone is welcome to attend. Attendees are requested to be in their seats by 2.45 pm.