Six-year-old girl diagnosed with cancer after her initial symptoms were dismissed as ‘growing pains’

Kate Hibberd, a mother of a six-year-old child, is urging parents to 'trust their instincts' and 'ask for a second opinion' if they see something odd in their children. Hibberd's child Meredith was diagnosed with cancer after the initial symptoms were 'missed'.In April 2023, Meredith started limping, but the mother thought she was being a ‘tenacious’ and ‘joyful’ child. Finding something was off, the mother took the child to a local GP surgery where a nurse practitioner said she could be experiencing ‘growing pains in her knee’. She was referred to physiotherapy, but no cause was found. A few months later, in June 2023, Meredith developed a lump on her forehead. Initially, Kate thought it was from a minor bump, but the swelling grew quickly. Concerned by the bulging forehead, the mother sent a photo of it to their GP, who immediately referred her to the hospital.Meredith underwent many tests including an MRI scan, only to receive a devastating diagnosis. The scan said that Meredith had cancer ‘everywhere,’ starting from her skull and neck to her stomach and leg. In August 2023, doctors confirmed it was non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a highly ‘treatable’ cancer with an extremely good prognosis. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (also known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, NHL, or sometimes just lymphoma) is a cancer that starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body’s immune system, according to the American Cancer Society. This cancer most often affects adults, but children can get it too. It starts in lymph nodes or other lymph tissue, but it can sometimes affect the skin. Kate recalled that her child was supposed to start school the same week she began treatment. Instead, she had to undergo intensive chemotherapy, including the Red Devil chemotherapy, which according to her mother ‘was incredibly tough to watch as a parent.’ Kate, a native of Dorset, has launched Meredith’s Mission, a charity aimed at supporting children, parents, and families going through childhood cancer in Dorset. She also urges parents to trust their instincts, push for a second opinion, and not dismiss growing pains in children.Meanwhile, despite the tough treatment, Meredith remains ‘playful’ and positive, and is fighting the disease, along with inspiring her parents for an extraordinary cause. (Picc courtesy: iStock)