Mum Anne-Marie Brownhas spoken out about how important it is for parents to trust their instincts about their children’s health afterdaughter Bebe, 13, she began to feel itchy and exhausted. Bebewas initially diagnosed with anaemia but her mother was convinced there was something seriously wrong – and she was eventually diagnosed with stage four cancer.
“Bebe was 13 and a really fit and capable girl,” said Anne-Marie, a teacher from Ascot. “She played netball and golf at county level. She played hockey. She was a sportswoman with a full and busy life. But during the October half term, she started getting really tired.
“She was just exhausted. Even on Christmas Day in the afternoon, she was asleep, and we thought she was just being a hormonal teenager. I took her to the doctors, and they said they suspected that she was maybe anaemic. They ran blood tests in January, and they got the results back and said yes, she was anaemic, and prescribed some iron tablets.
“They said everything else was fine, but she still didn’t improve at all and was just incredibly tired. She was also incredibly itchy, and she was just not a happy bunny. Then she started getting this ringing in her ears and jaw pain so she wouldn’t make a full day at school.
“She had gone from being a really full-on teenager to feeling rubbish in a relatively small amount of time, and we had a bit of a battle. I knew something was wrong with my daughter, so I refused to give up and demanded further tests.”
Anne-Marie also tried dentists and osteopaths but nothing made any difference. After multiple blood tests and still no improvement, she decided to take matters into her own hands, demanding a printout of the blood test results and starting to investigate herself.
“I started googling and noticed that Bebe had this ESR rate that was through the roof. I thought, ‘oh my god, something is really wrong’,” she says. ESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate; erythrocytes are red blood cells and the speed in which they settle at the bottom of a test tube (the sedimentation rate) shows the level of inflammation in the body.
This can indicate a number of serious conditions and the family decided to pay for a private doctor. When the medic saw Bebe she confirmed that Anne-Marie’s instincts had been correct. “The GP took one look at Bebe and made an appointment for her the next day for X-rays and scans,” Anne-Marie explains.
Once Bebe went for the scans, she was told she had to go to A&E immediately where she was admitted. It was at this stage that the family were told she had stage four Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, leaving them in deep shock. Anne-Marie, who lost her mum to cancer when she was in her early 20s, said they were very aware of the disease, but their daughter’s diagnosis still caught them off guard.
“As soon as we got the diagnosis everything else in our lives was on hold and we were all in survival mode. Bebe had to have intense treatment because it was stage four, including chemotherapy and steroids, and medication that left her in a wheelchair for some time.
“We were living from one treatment to the next, we were going month by month.”
Despite what she was going through, Bebe channelled all her grit and determination to make sure she kept moving and motivated. “Even when she was having chemotherapy, Bebe wanted to do something to help others affected by cancer, so she and her friends went on to raise over £10,000 by taking part in Race For Life – it’s a day we’ll never forget,” Anne-Marie adds.
Thankfully, Bebe is now cancer-free. “She’s doing PE for her GCSEs, and is playing netball regularly,” Anne-Marie explains. “She’s not where she was, but she’s a hell of a lot better than before.”
Anne-Marie is glad she trusted her gut. She is keen to spread the word about lymphoma, and to tell other parents that they should always trust their instincts and push for their children to be seen for any unusual symptoms. “Bebe had all the symptoms: itching, intense tiredness, night sweats,” Anne-Marie adds. “I knew something was wrong. I don’t blame anyone, but I hope that others can learn from our story.
“To other parents who may be going through the same thing, keep pushing. I think, ‘oh my god, if I hadn’t been that vaguely annoying woman, it would have taken even longer to get her diagnosed’.
“Have confidence in yourself and if you know something’s not right, don’t be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion.”
Anne-Marie is supporting Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in partnership with Standard Life. Visit raceforlife.org.