Mother of 19-year-old who died after doctors missed cancer signs speaks out on first symptom she experienced
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: The Institute of Cancer Research
A mother of a 19-year-old who died from cancer is wanting to raise awareness about the early symptoms she experienced.
In December 2020, Megan Kelly sadly died from Ewing sarcoma, a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the bones and the soft tissue around the bones, explains Mayo Clinic.
The teenager was 18 when she received her devastating diagnosis and was told that she had a 30 percent chance of living more than five years, but Megan only lived another 18 months.
In the wake of her untimely passing, her friends and family have set up a charity called Megan's Rose of Hope, which is focused on raising awareness about cancer and supporting young people battling the illness.
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Her mom, Jane, recently penned an op-ed for The Institute of Cancer Research where she shared Megan's story.
Megan first became unwell at the age of 16.
"It began with a virus that lasted over three weeks, she could not shake it off," Jane said.
"This was followed by virus after virus, along with constant urine infections. She missed so much school due to ill health that by Easter 2018, she was asked to leave.
"By this point, I was concerned. Megan had had more visits to the GP, walk-in clinic and A&E than my other two children combined. Over a period of months, she was diagnosed with glandular fever, scarlet fever and urine infections. With school no longer an option, she started a part-time job, but she continued to feel unwell, lacking energy and losing direction."
Jane went on to say that she had a 'gut feeling that something was seriously wrong' with Megan and revealed that she'd faced her own cancer battle at the age of 32 and had to wait a year before she was correctly diagnosed.
Then, in 2019, Megan fell seriously unwell again and went to the doctors again.
"By now, Megan was 18, so she went to the GP by herself," Jane recalled. "She called me to say that the doctor had examined her stomach, and after doing so had asked Megan to phone me immediately so I could come to the surgery. She would not tell Megan what was wrong. When I went back with Megan, the doctor explained that she could feel a mass on Megan’s kidney and that she suspected cancer."
After further tests an scan, Megan was diagnosed with stage 4 soft cell Ewing sarcoma which doctors suspected she'd had for two years.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.