A teen told her aching joints it was just “growing pains.” She is now battling multiple tumors in her bones, chest and liver – and doctors can’t find a cause.
Chloe Renshaw, 15, from Plymouth, suffered knee problems in October so severe she cried on the sofa at night.
Her father Adam Renshaw, 43, took her to the local minor injuries unit where she was reassured it was a normal teenage phase.
They returned two weeks later when the pain spread through her legs, but they were told the same thing again and Chloe was sent away with some exercises.
Another week passed and the pain was also in her back, after which the father-of-three decided to take her to A&E at Derriford Hospital.
He insisted she had a CT scan – and it revealed, shockingly, a tumor on her spine.
‘The struggle 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 quickly taken to Bristol Children’s Hospital, where further tests revealed cancer in her pelvis and skull, breasts and liver.
Chloe Renshaw, 15, from Plymouth (pictured right) started complaining in October of knee pain so severe she would cry on the sofa at night. Her father Adam Renshaw, 43, (pictured left) took her to the local minor injuries unit where she was reassured they were ‘growing pains’.
A CT scan showed that her lower bones, pelvic bone and skull all had tumors, she also had four tumors in her breasts and in her liver
Mr Renshaw said: ‘By the end of the week before I took her to A&E she was in absolute agony day and night.
‘The doctors assured 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 get her to school, but she was in too much pain.”
Despite finding the tumors, doctors cannot determine what type of cancer Chloe has, the father says.
Chloe has had one round of chemotherapy, but because the cancer also affects her immune system, they have to wait and see if she can tolerate more.
“I’m devastated,” Mr Renshaw said. “She didn’t come home at all, she was in the children’s hospital the whole time.”
He explained that doctors gave the pair mixed opinions and while some medics are optimistic, others report “doom and gloom.”
He said: ‘The last oncologist gave me the impression that they don’t think they can do much for her at all.
Despite finding the tumors, doctors cannot determine what type of cancer Chloe has, the father says
Just a few days before her 15th birthday, members of the community dropped by with presents and cake, but Mr Renshaw explained that because she was taking painkillers, she was in and out of consciousness.
“They say it’s a very fast and aggressive cancer, so they don’t know if they can solve it.”
Mr Renshaw, who works as a bouncer, explained that he was unable to work and found staying in Bristol very expensive.
But the community has helped in every way possible, through the so-called Facebook page #chloescause – to the moon and back and a GoFundMe.
Just a few days before her 15th birthday, members of the community dropped by with presents and cake, but Mr Renshaw explained that because she was taking painkillers she was both in and out of consciousness.
On the eve of her birthday, on Monday December 3, Chloe was taken to intensive care, put into an induced coma and put on a ventilator to support her breathing before starting her first round of chemotherapy.
Speaking about the community’s Facebook page, Mr Renshaw said: ‘I made a video when I heard the bad news and my hands were still shaking, I sent out a video and it took off.
‘Then me and Chloe sat down and talked about it and she wanted to make some videos to help other kids while she was having chemotherapy.
“She’s a 15-year-old kid with a bit of internet fame and she absolutely loves it.”
Mr Renshaw explained that Chloe is currently sedated due to the pain she is experiencing. He keeps the community informed when he can.
He told his followers on Facebook: ‘Chloe’s situation is very up and down at the moment, it’s quite difficult to post updates. It’s an absolute emotional rollercoaster.’