Russian blogger Valeria Chekalina, known online as Lerchek, has posted a hospital video reporting severe leg pain during her stage four stomach cancer treatment.
Chekalina shared footage from her hospital bed on Instagram, stating that she did not wish to complain but was experiencing hellish pain and taking strong pain medication.
Her partner, Luis Squicciarini, confirmed that the pain had severely affected both of her legs, prompting her medical team to initiate urgent testing to determine the cause.
Doctors ordered a computed tomography scan with contrast, though Squicciarini said the imaging did not reveal why she was experiencing the pain. Medical staff subsequently performed magnetic resonance imaging scans targeting the lumbar and sacral regions of her lower spine.
Medical imaging and cancer background
Diagnostic tools like contrast CT scans and spinal MRIs are routinely used by oncologists to inspect internal organs, blood vessels, and nervous system structures. Contrast enhanced CT scans use intravenous dye to highlight tissue abnormalities, while lumbar and sacral MRI scans generate detailed images of lower back vertebrae and nerve roots to check for spinal compression or lesion spread.
Chekalina received her stage four stomach cancer diagnosis in March. Stage four gastric cancer is an advanced condition where malignant cells have spread beyond the primary stomach site to distant organs, lymph nodes, or tissues, frequently causing severe localized pain, nerve distress, and physical exhaustion.
In June, Chekalina told followers she had completed her eighth cycle of chemotherapy and described suffering severe pain following the procedures. Chemotherapy regimens for advanced cancer rely on powerful cytotoxic drugs that circulate through the bloodstream to destroy cancer cells, but they often produce severe systemic side effects including neuropathy and joint aches.
Public response and influencer career
Addressing public reaction to her illness, Chekalina previously said she had forgiven individuals who publicly expressed disbelief regarding her diagnosis. She noted that people who doubted her health struggles were simply seeking an outlet for their own negative emotions.
Chekalina is one of Russia's most prominent lifestyle and fitness bloggers, operating under the name Lerchek. She built a massive online following through social media platforms, including Instagram, which remains widely used in Russia despite legal restrictions placed on its parent company, Meta Platforms.
Chekalina remains under care in hospital while medical specialists review her latest spinal scans and evaluate further options to manage her pain.
