A mum who was told that her young daughter's fatal cancer was just a period is calling for a national awareness campaign to help parents recognise the signs.
Charlotte Fairall, from Stubbington in Hampshire, was due to appear in parliament today to discuss diagnosis of children's cancer after her 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed in 2020 with rhabdomyosarcoma which is a rare form of cancer that appears from children’s soft tissue.
However, the diagnosis came a whole two months after Sophie Fairall fell ill.
Ms Fairall explained previously: “They said to me it's cancer and they've managed to remove 95 per cent of the tumour but they couldn't remove it all, so then we started treatment with chemo.
"She was quite adamant that they were going to make her better. She kept saying doctors make you better and I know they will for me.
"She just had that positive outlook all the way through. She painted ceramics while in hospital because she wanted more toys and activities."
According to Ms Fairall, there were some red flags which made her realise her daughter’s condition was more serious.
She said: "She had some of the real red flags. Abnormal bleeding is definitely a red flag, stomach pain and consistent pains in the stomach was another one, and that feeling of nausea.
"We know all children feel sick but it's the persistence of it. Those were all flags but I didn't know the signs and symptoms.
"I asked lots of people, do you know if your child had cancer, would you know the signs and symptoms to look out for?
“We want a national campaign of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer, so that the public are aware, alongside training for GPs and nurse practitioners, because once they qualify there is no current course on childhood cancer that they can access."
