Teenager, 15, told she had 'growing pains' but it was cancer


Teenager, 15, told she had

A teenager told her sore joints were simply 'growing pains' is now battling multiple tumours in her bones, breast and liver — and doctors cannot find a cause. Chloe Renshaw, 15, from Plymouth started to suffer discomfort in her knees in October, so severe it left her 'crying on the sofa at night'. Her father Adam Renshaw, 43, took her to their local minor injuries unit, where she was reassured it was just a normal teenage stage. They returned two weeks later when the pain spread over her legs, yet they were told the same thing again and Chloe was sent away with some exercises. Another week passed and the pain was in her back, too, at which point the father-of-three decided to take her to A&E at Derriford Hospital. He insisted she had a CT scan — and this, shockingly, revealed a tumour on her spine. 'The fight to get children diagnosed is ridiculous, I've heard the same story from so many parents,' the single father-of-three told MailOnline. Chloe was swiftly transferred to the Bristol Children's hospital where further tests revealed cancer in her pelvic bone and skull, breasts and liver. Mr Renshaw said: 'Towards the end of the week before I took her to A&E she was in absolute agony day and night. 'The doctors reassured us it was just growing pains so we took their word for it. 'I tried to get her to do the exercises they recommended, and to get her to school but she was in too much pain.' Despite finding the tumours, doctors are unable to identify what kind of cancer Chloe has, the father says. Chloe has completed one round of chemotherapy but because the cancer is also affecting her immune system they have to wait to see if she will be able to withstand more. 'I'm devastated,' Mr Renshaw said. 'She hasn't come home at all, she has been at the children's hospital the whole time.' He explained that doctors have been giving the pair mixed views and while some medics are optimistic others report 'doom and gloom'. He said: 'The last oncologist gave me the impression they don't think they can do a lot for her at all.