Mother Alleges GP Dismissed Daughter’s Symptoms Before Cancer Diagnosis

A mother has asserted that a general practitioner dismissed her unwell daughter’s condition as “faking it” just one week prior to the child’s diagnosis with blood cancer. Rebecca’s daughter, Summer, currently aged seven, received a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in April 2022, following an incident where she was discovered on the floor, unable to walk. Rebecca, residing in Hampshire, is now encouraging other parents to “trust their instincts,” having witnessed her daughter battle the illness for two years. Legal representatives for the GP stated that the doctor had instructed Rebecca to transport Summer to the closest A&E department that same evening. They also expressed regret that Rebecca “felt her daughter’s symptoms were not treated seriously.” Rebecca, 33, observed that Summer was experiencing more bruising than usual and was “constantly poorly” at the beginning of that year, though she initially attributed these signs to a common cold. Rebecca recounted, “We went to a museum and she looked very pale, but I just thought, because she’s had a long day, she’s just tired.” She continued, “But then the next day, she was upstairs in her bedroom – I just went down for a coffee – and her brother was screaming ‘Summer can’t get up from the floor’. So I went upstairs and she was just lying there and I thought ‘something’s wrong’.” Rebecca reported that Summer had a temperature of 39.9C, prompting her to contact the GP for an emergency appointment, which she successfully booked for the same afternoon. She alleged that during this consultation, the medical professional stated Summer was “faking it” and instructed her to “go home and dose her up on Calpol.” Rebecca stated: “They literally said, from their mouth, ‘She’s faking it’. I said: ‘Why would she fake it? It’s [school holidays]’. They said ‘No, no, just go home and dose her up on Calpol’. I thought ‘No, this isn’t right’.” She recounted that the GP had informed her an X-ray appointment had been scheduled for Summer. However, upon arriving at the closest medical centre, she was informed that Summer was not on the booking list. Rebecca then decided to transport Summer to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, where blood tests were conducted that same evening. A week later, following a referral to Southampton General Hospital, Summer’s leukaemia diagnosis was confirmed. For the subsequent two years, she underwent chemotherapy, involving frequent hospital visits, resulting in hair loss and the inability to participate in school, swimming lessons, visits to the park, birthday parties, and socialising with friends. Rebecca, who previously worked as a care worker, characterized Summer as a “fireball,” brimming with energy and consistently cheerful. She remarked, “When I tell you this child bossed it, from start to finish, I’m not kidding.” Rebecca indicated that the family has now returned to “normality,” with Summer undergoing regular check-ups and blood tests since completing her treatment in June and achieving remission. She now aims to motivate other parents to educate themselves on childhood leukaemia and to seek medical attention for any unusual symptoms. A statement from Summer’s GP, disseminated by legal representatives, conveyed: “[The GP] were sorry to hear that [Rebecca] felt her daughter’s symptoms were not treated seriously and would like to reassure her that this is not the case. [The GP] was very concerned about [Rebecca’s] daughter, who presented with pain in her lower right leg, and who he recorded was unable to weight bear. [They] recorded that she needed an X-ray to exclude the possibility of a greenstick fracture and asked [Rebecca] to take her to the nearest A&E department for an X-ray that evening. [Rebecca] and her daughter in fact attended the local minor injuries unit, who recorded that they had been sent by their GP for an X-ray. [The GP] was also conscious that there might be a malignant cause for the leg pain and recorded a plan to consider the need for a paediatric review if the X-ray was normal and if [Rebecca’s] daughter was still unable to weight bear the next day. [The GP was] pleased to learn that the various NHS departments worked well together to diagnose and treat [Rebecca’s] daughter and wish her and her family well.” Readers can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Further information on their approach to external linking is available.