Mum battles to get diagnosis for daughter Darcy's cancer

A MOTHER says she had to battle with doctors for around two months before her daughter was given a devastating cancer diagnosis.

- by MAXINE DENTON

Rhiannon Thomas' daughter Darcy, now five, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in February 2024 after she developed a sudden limp and complained of joint pain.

Rhiannon, from Camborne, said Darcy started suffering pain in her neck, knee and hips in November or December 2023.

However, when she took her to hospital for a check-up, Rhiannon said, she was told to deal with the symptoms at home with a hot bath and hot water bottles.

While this helped at first, Darcy developed a sudden limp and was having to be picked up from school early because she was crying with pain, and sleeping a lot.

However, when she finally managed to book an appointment with the GP Darcy presented as normal and her condition was dismissed as exhaustion, due to starting school, and simple growing pains.

"I told the doctor Darcy had been going to nursery previous to this and was going until 6pm but now she was finishing at 3pm and she had a twin brother, Teddy, who was fine so it didn't make sense to me," Rhiannon said.