IZZY PICKERING'S DOCTORS LED HER TO BELIEVE THAT HER INTENSE PAIN WAS PERIOD PAIN OR APPENDICITIS - BUT THE ACTUAL DIAGNOSIS WAS FAR MORE SERIOUS. 15:46, 24 May 2025Updated 15:49, 24

May 2025 A schoolgirl was put into an induced coma after doctors mistook her tumour for period pains. Izzy Pickering, from Sawley, Derbyshire, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April when

medics discovered a tumour the size of a rugby ball with a stem in her ovary. At present, there isn't a national screening programme for the disease, which accounts for 7,500 new cases

annually in the UK and predominantly affects women over 50, as per NHS data. Initially, doctors suspected Izzy might have appendicitis or menstrual pain when she visited A&E with back

"You hear of children with leukaemia but you don't hear of young girls with ovarian cancer. "We want to spread the word that ovarian cancer can affect girls as young as 14 and

not to take symptoms lightly. "Children should be eligible for screening from when they start their period. "They shouldn't have to wait until they are sexually active as

this is proof you don't have to be to get cancer in that area." Izzy began feeling unwell in November with severe stomach ache, back pain and vomiting. Her parents, Lisa and Wayne,

promptly took her to their local GP who suspected appendicitis, leading to an urgent visit to the A&E department at Queen's Medical Centre hospital in Nottingham. Initially,

doctors considered menstrual pain as the culprit and treated Izzy with antibiotics for a possible oesophageal infection. As time passed and Izzy's condition didn't improve, she

developed a fear of eating due to the persistent vomiting. On March 19, facing continued distress, her parents rushed her back to A&E, where appendicitis was ruled out, but their

instincts told them something more serious was amiss: "Something wasn't right, we know our daughter," Lisa insisted. A spike in Izzy's temperature prompted an MRI scan on

April 20, which devastatingly resulted in a diagnosis of ovarian cancer the very next day. A family friend, Sarahjane Giles, aged 45, created a fundraising campaign to support the family

and shared with PA Real Life: "Doctors found a rugby ball-sized mass in her ovary with a stalk growing in the middle which was causing her back pain." Due to the tumour's

size, which displaced her organs and latched onto back tissue, Izzy faced grave danger during surgery on March 17 to remove the growth, experiencing significant blood loss on the operating

table. Sarahjane, who has been a constant support for the family throughout their ordeal, revealed: "They had to cut her in so many ways as the stalk had attached itself to so many

things. "They had to pack her stomach, leave her open, and put her in ICU to stop the bleeding." Following blood transfusions overnight, Izzy was stable enough to return to the

operating theatre the next day where medics removed what they believed was all the cancer. She was placed in an induced coma for five days because "one small movement and her stitches

would have ruptured", Sarahjane explained. In mid-April, doctors gradually reduced Izzy's sedation medication and she began eating small amounts of food and taking her first steps.

A biopsy revealed she had stage two cancer and would require three months of chemotherapy five days a week to eradicate what was left of the disease. "She will lose her hair and

doctors said she will struggle to have children in the future," Sarahjane shared. "It's a lot for a 14-year-old child to take on". "What makes it really sad is that

Izzy is a miracle baby herself and has always wanted to be a maternity nurse. "But she has a lovely group of friends who have been going to visit her and her parents have been there

every step of the way." Izzy is taking time off school during her three-month treatment which commenced on April 25. Her parents are having to take unpaid leave from work to accompany

Izzy to hospital and support her during her recovery. In an overwhelming display of community spirit, Sarahjane has initiated a GoFundMe page to support the family through these trying

times, already amassing £8,345 of the £10,500 goal. Additionally, she is gearing up to participate in the Carsington Water half-marathon on June 21 in Derbyshire, for the dual purpose of

supporting the same noble cause and elevating awareness regarding ovarian cancer. The crowdfunding efforts will extend to securing wigs and other necessities for Izzy. Providing expert

insight, a spokesperson from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence referenced their data, saying, "current evidence does not support population screening for ovarian

cancer, even in adults, as there is insufficient evidence that screening reduces mortality and may lead to unnecessary interventions". Commenting on individual patient scenarios, a

representative from Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham clarified that it is not within the hospital's policy to discuss personal cases publicly. Article continues below For those

who wish to contribute or learn more, Izzy's GoFundMe webpage is accessible at: www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-izzy-beat-conquer-ovarian-cancer.