A DNA TEST SAVED MY LIFE

Nova Cobban, 43, was just searching for a simple allergy test - but she got more than she bargained for

- SASKIA MURPHY

Clutching my aching stomach, I sat next to my husband Paul in the living room. ‘I’m not feeling great again,’ I told him, grimacing through the pain.

It was July 2021, and I’d been having stomach problems on and off for years. ‘Maybe it’s a food intolerance,’ Paul, then 41, said, suggesting I try allergy testing to get to the bottom of it.

That night, after cooking dinner for Paul, our daughter Grace, then two, and my son from a previous relationship, Noah, then 16, I browsed online for tests. I scrolled through dozens of finger-prick tests, blood tests, patch tests and elimination diets. They all promised to diagnose problems ranging from wheat intolerances to dairy allergies. I didn’t know where to start.

With some spare time on my hands at work, I read through testimonials online and came across a swab test that paints a full picture of an individual’s health, covering everything from diet to risks of cancer and other illnesses. ‘Go on, then,’ I muttered to myself, ordering the test online and paying the £250 price tag with my debit card.

RESULTS READY

When the test kit arrived, I twisted the cotton bud around my mouth and sent it off to the lab for testing. My stomach pain still bothered me every now and then, but by the time the test results were due to come back, I was feeling better, and I couldn’t wait to find out what the swab had uncovered.