Emily Brown
Doctors in the UK issued an apology to a 32-year-old woman who underwent a hysterectomy before learning a 'tumor' on her ovaries was actually not cancerous.
Rhian Butlin was diagnosed with cancer on her 32nd birthday, but for weeks, doctors were mistaken as to what kind of cancer she actually had.
Her ordeal began in September 2024, when Rhian went to the doctor with severe abdominal pain. She underwent a scan, and her symptoms were reportedly initially suspected to be polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
However, when the pain persisted and her stomach started to swell, Rhian returned to hospital and underwent a scan that revealed 25cm tumor on one of her ovaries.
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In a post shared on GoFundMe, Rhian's older sister, Lindsey Rice, explained Rhian had a tough experience prior to the hysterectomy which was intended to remove the tumor.
She experienced fluid which had to be drained, contracted sepsis and even had to be put in an induced coma.
When she was finally well enough to undergo the operation, she also had her appendix and the lining of her bowel removed. During the procedure, Rhian had biopsies done on all three organs. She was then sent home to recover, but two months later she was called back to the hospital.
Having received the results of the biopsy on her ovary, doctors apologized and told Rhian they had 'got it wrong'. Doctors suspected Rhian may have endometriosis, which can sometime mimic cancer on scans.
"She didn’t have ovarian cancer.. apparently they couldn’t locate it .. so thought she must have colon cancer," Lindsey wrote.
Rhian then underwent a colonoscopy, after which Lindsey claimed Rhian was ultimately given the 'all clear' - but she still 'didn't feel right'.
Just one day later, Rhian got in touch with her doctor and learned she had cancer of the appendix.
Although she'd had her appendix removed, the disease had already spread to her pelvis and lymph nodes. Within two months, it had developed into an 'aggressive' stage four cancer.
Sharing details of her experience with the MailOnline, Rhian said: “I'm just emotionally drained. I'm constantly scared and some nights I barely sleep. It's just been a very scary journey, if I'm honest. Obviously, I've had a full hysterectomy when I did not need to.
“I've had my ovaries removed when I did not have ovarian cancer and I've had the lining of my bowel removed when I did not have bowel cancer. Then they did remove my appendix in December but it wasn't until months later that they found cancer there.”
Rhian, who is a single mom, is now facing weeks of chemotherapy, with the GoFundMe page explaining that she 'isn’t strong enough to do what she usually does' with her children.
"She’s everything to them . She brought them up from day one alone," the post says, with Lindsey asking for donations to 'create a little pot' for the family in the hope they will be able to use it to make memories.
If you'd like to donate to the fundraiser, you can do so here.