Docs brushed off my 12-year-old daughter’s headaches as ‘hormones’… I fought for the truth but she died months later

A DEVASTATED Mum has bravely spoken astir her teenager's decease and says doctors dismissed her symptoms.

Rebecca Elizabeth Gaskell revealed she had to combat for GPs to instrumentality her daughter's wellness woes seriously, and was adjacent refused an ambulance.

Grace was conscionable 12 years aged erstwhile she complained that her fingers were tingling connected her near hand.

Concerned the grounds could beryllium thing serious, Rebecca took Grace to the GP.

The parent and girl from Buckinghamshire were told that she was suffering from hormonal soundless migraines.

Rebecca wasn't convinced but enactment the tingling down to Grace penning "too much" aft returning to schoolhouse aft half-term.

Things took a crook erstwhile she started to get a "kaleidoscope effect" successful her near eye.

"I took her to the GP but they were useless," Rebecca told Bristol Live.

Grace past started to person a "burning sensation" down her near arm.

Panicked, Rebecca called an ambulance but to her fearfulness she was refused.

"They refused to travel out, saying that our GP had stated Grace was having hormonal soundless migraines. I took Grace to A&E respective times which led to nothing."

After 2 months of being brushed disconnected by aesculapian staff, Rebecca did her ain probe which pointed toward a tumour.

Grace suffered a seizure and was rushed to infirmary for a CT scan.

Rebecca, a erstwhile paediatric nurse, said the mass went unnoticed "despite it being wide to see".

She said her girl was treated for "everything but a encephalon tumour" and claimed that doctors refused to perceive to her.

Grace was discharged aft six weeks.

Desperate, Rebecca emailed each of the paediatric neurologists astatine John Radcliffe Hospital and was told to bring Grace successful for a 24-hour EEG and video assessment.

The EEG (electroencephalogram) showed that Grace's encephalon was successful a authorities of continuous, abnormal brainwave activity.

Rebecca's worst fears were confirmed and she was told that her girl had an inoperable encephalon tumour.

She was transferred to Bristol Hospital for a biopsy which revealed she had an anaplastic astrocytoma people 3 with GBM people 4 markers.

The tumour was truthful ample that thing could beryllium done and she was classified arsenic terminal.

Grace has six weeks of radiotherapy and 12 months of chemotherapy - which near the tumour dormant for conscionable implicit a year.

Despite losing her hairsbreadth and being incapable to articulation her friends astatine schoolhouse and aerial cadets, Grace remained "positive and happy".

Two years aft she was diagnosed, Grace passed distant successful November 2020.

"Losing a kid is not thing you get through," Rebecca said.

Before the diagnosis, she said that their beingness was elemental and they had amusive together.

Inspired by her daughter's bravery, Rebecca present works with different bereaved parents to rise consciousness of encephalon tumours.

Angel Mums rise wealth for the Tessa Jowell Foundation which funds and supports encephalon crab attraction and attraction successful the UK.

So acold Rebecca and her radical person raised implicit £60,000, with a people of £100,000 and were crowned the winners astatine the astir caller JustGiving Awards.