Girl, 12, dies after doctors mistook fatal tumour for 'tummy bug'
A mum is urging parents to trust their instincts after her daughter's tummy bug turned out to be an inoperable brain tumour. Jackie Dunlop from North Ayrshire became concerned when her daughter Ava Nelson, then aged 10, suffered with severe headaches and sickness for three weeks.
Following visits to the GP and her local hospital, the young girl was a viral infection or a gastric bug. However, after the fourth week of Ava feeling unwell, Jackie pushed for more testing and what followed shocked the 38-year-old to the core. An MRI revealed a pressure of Ava's brain, caused by a large mass, and she was rushed up to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
She had to have an emergency operation to relieve the pressure and a biopsy a week later revealed Ava had a high-grade glioblastoma. The family were told she had just six to 12 months to live, but Ava outlived that prediction and passed away nearly two years later in April 2024, aged 12.
Now Jackie, from Kilwinning, who previously worked as a carer, is telling parents not to ignore their own suspicions regarding their child's health. She said: "We thought it was a sickness bug. But going into week three I started to worry. Everyone put it down to a viral sickness bug. Four weeks I had been fighting with doctors. The surgeon told us if we didn't fight she'd have been dead within a week because the pressure was that bad."
She continued: "I always say to any mother go with your gut instinct if you feel that something is wrong with your child. If you feel something is wrong then go get them checked. If you aren't getting anywhere stand your ground and make sure you get the help and support you need until you have the right answers. Mothers know their child best."
Ava began experiencing headaches, dizziness, and balance issues in May 2022. Despite numerous GP appointments and hospital visits, her symptoms were dismissed as just a viral illness, reports Glasgow Live. Growing concerned about her daughter's health, Jackie refused to accept this and persevered for further medical attention at Crosshouse Hospital's children's ward.
Jackie recounted: "To look at her you wouldn't know anything was wrong. They agreed to do blood tests – Ava then started vomiting. She started declining but the blood tests came back fine. I pushed for a scan."
The persistence paid off when an MRI scan showed a brain tumour. Ava was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow on May 31, 2022. Jackie said: "They told us Ava has severe pressure on her brain. They found a tumour. The pressure was caused by the tumour."
Ava underwent emergency surgery the following day; however, doctors couldn't fully remove the tumour due to its location. The biopsy results returned on June 8, 2022, confirming Ava's diagnosis with cancer. Jackie revealed: "The hardest part for me was that wasn't going to survive. They gave us six to 12 months."
Ava bravely endured 12 weeks of simultaneous radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which resulted in her needing a feeding tube after the treatment caused a rupture in her stomach.
Her parents, Jackie and Roland, made the heart-wrenching decision not to disclose Ava's terminal prognosis, choosing instead to create cherished memories. Jackie shared: "We were trying to normalise life."
The family dedicated themselves to ensuring their beloved "wee warrior" had as many joyous moments as possible, despite their own sorrow. Jackie said: "As a family we did everything in our willpower to make sure that the time we had left with our wee warrior was full of fun filled memories as much as it was killing us inside."
In spring 2023, Ava was admitted to Robin House Children's Hospice, where she fought for another year before passing away on April 16, 2024, with her loving parents and sisters, aged nine and 17, by her side. Jackie recalled: "They moved her into the rainbow room. It was the most peaceful room."
Jackie now aims to inspire other parents to trust their instincts about their children's health. She added: "Ava was quiet as a mouse. She was quite shy and timid. But she was sweet and loving. She was the best."
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