The family of a toddler with cancer claim they were initially told she was suffering with constipation and say they had to insist on further testing.
A hospital investigation has now been launched into the care of little Ella Formby-Smith, three, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
Mum Claire Formby, 38, said the heartbreaking diagnosis of stage four neuroblastoma - a rare and aggressive cancer - came after she was checked over by doctors three separate times.
The NHS worker, from Runcorn, said she feels let down by the care her daughter received, the Liverpool Echo reports.
She said: "We’ve been told she could have been born with this. I'm just feeling so let down with the number of times we’ve been back and forth.
“I just can't get my head around how it’s not been detected in three years of going to hospital with stomach problems. She’s been diagnosed as lactose and dairy intolerant and every other time we’ve been we were told its constipation or a viral infection."
Ella is now undergoing chemotherapy and facing surgery and a list of other treatments.
The youngster has suffered from stomach issues since birth and had numerous trips to the doctors but her symptoms worsened in May of this year.
Ella began to spend more time in Warrington Hospital and Claire claims she was initially told her daughter had constipation or a viral infection.
But as her condition continued to deteriorate, Claire insisted on further tests.
Ella underwent an ultrasound which revealed she had a large mass at the back of her stomach after being referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
The following week, little Ella was sadly diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma after an MRI scan. She is now on her seventh round of chemotherapy.
Claire said: “From when she was born, she had problems with her stomach. I don’t understand why they didn’t send her for scan with her history and how much she suffered with stomach problems.
“I was just told it was a viral infection until we got to the point where she was that bad and I wanted something done. It gradually got worse over four weeks until she was crying with pain curled up in bed."
The family were then told Ella could be suffering from coeliac disease.
Claire continued: “Gradually it got worse again so I took her to Warrington hospital, but they wouldn’t do bloods. They made us wait two weeks to have bloods done.
“We went back again and they were trying to get water sample off of her to tell us it was an infection but I refused.
“It was only lucky that someone in Warrington had worked at Alder Hey and came down to see her, because she wouldn’t wee they send her to Alder Hey.
“As soon as she went to Alder Hey it was 100 miles an hour. In the early hours of Saturday they took her down for ultrasound which was done instantly and picked up a mass in the back of her stomach."
Claire said Ella has "good days and bad days" but had "no energy and no mobility at all for her to run around or play". She said: "She’s amazing and was active and bouncing around all the time, just a happy three-year-old who went to nursery.
"Ella loved nursery, so it’s literally just changed her whole lifestyle.”
A spokesperson for Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Trust is very sorry to hear about Ella’s diagnosis at the regional specialist children’s hospital. An investigation into the care provided to Ella during her hospital admissions at the Trust is being progressed.
“We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for Ella’s family, and we will do all that we can to support Ella’s family during the investigation, ensuring that all findings are shared as soon as possible.”
Claire is now trying to raise money for Ella's care. You can visit the GoFundMe page here
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