Mother devastated as daughter’s bloating turns out to be rare and aggressive sarcoma
The teenager’s symptoms worsened over night after her abdomen became extremely bloated
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Your support makes all the difference.A heartbroken mother has revealed how her teenage daughter, who complained of bloating, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive sarcoma.
Elizabeth Hatton, 16, told mother Victoria Robayana, 43, she felt bloated but was reassured that it was normal for a woman’s weight to fluctuate.
However, the teenager’s symptoms worsened as she complained of abdominal pain prompting her parents to take her an out-of-hours doctor who advised them to return to see a GP two days alter after suspecting an ovarian cyst.
The following day, Elizabeth’s pain intensified and she went to A&E where she had a bladder ultrasound with doctors finding excess liquid in her abdomen. They booked her in for a CT scan that evening which identified masses on her ovaries, liver and abdomen.
The following day, on 22 January, the family’s worst fears were confirmed when she was given a cancer diagnosis.
Ms Robayana, a teacher from Harrogate, North Yorkshire said: “Even when they told us it was cancer, I reassured Elizabeth that 90 per cent of children and teenagers survive cancer and that she was really strong.
“I did not expect them to say it was something so rare, I thought it would be a minor blip on the horizon.
“I did not even realise there were things there wasn’t answers for, it’s not a world we have ever stepped foot in.”
On the same day as her diagnosis, Elizabeth was called into the specialist cancer unit at Leeds General Infirmary for a biopsy.
The A-Level student was then diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour - an extremely rare and aggressive sarcoma of which there are only 12 cases in the UK each year.
Ms Robayana say the bloating was the earliest symptom and a slight pain in Elizabeth’s right shoulder, which the family put down to her school bag.
“The biggest sign in the beginning was the bloating, but we were so worried about worrying her with her weight we didn’t want to make a big deal about it,” Ms Robayana explained.
The cancer more commonly affects men and due to its rarity does not have a set treatment protocol.
The family is now fundraising to pay for consultations with an American consultant who specialises in the rare form of cancer. The consultant would liaise with Elizabeth’s existing consultant to be able to best inform her treatment plan.
So far the teen has had two rounds of chemotherapy and is starting her third round on Friday.
“She’s very tired and she was very sick after the first round however, she has been given new anti-sickness medication.
“She has just been really brave and I couldn’t be prouder of how she’s tackled it given her whole life has been turned upside down.”
The resilient Oxbridge hopeful is even continuing two of her four A-Levels in English Literature and psychology whilst she battles her illness.
She also hopes to pursue her dream of photography and wants to buy equipment with the money raised.
Her mother added: “She’s very determined and very passionate about things she believes in, she has a strong sense of what’s right and what’s wrong, and standing up for the little man.”
Her little brother Mateo, 7, decided to shave his head in solidarity with his big sister who was worried about losing her hair.
The GoFundMe page can be found here.
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