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.
Chloe Renshaw, 15, from Plymouth (pictured right)started to complain of knee pain in October so severe it left her ‘crying on the sofa at night’. Her father Adam Renshaw, 43, (pictured left) took her to their local minor injuries unit, where she was reassured it was ‘growing pains’
A CT scan revealed her lower bones, pelvic bone and skull all had tumours, she also had four tumours in her breasts and in her 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.
Despite finding the tumours, doctors are unable to identify what kind of cancer Chloe has, the father says
Just a few days before her 15th birthday, members of the community turned up with presents and cake, but Mr Renshaw explained that because she was on painkillers she was in and out of consciousness
‘They say it is a very fast and aggressive cancer, so they don’t know if they are going to be able to solve it.’
Mr Renshaw who works as a bouncer explained that he has been unable to work and has found staying in Bristol very expensive.
But the community have been helping in any way they can, using the Facebook page called #chloescause – to the moon and back and a GoFundMe.
Just a few days before her 15th birthday, members of the community turned up with presents and cake, but Mr Renshaw explained that because she was on painkillers she was in and out of consciousness.
On the evening before her birthday on Monday December 3, Chloe was taken to ICU and put in an induced coma and put on a ventilator to assist her breathing before she was started on her first round of chemotherapy.
Speaking about the community Facebook page Mr Renshaw said: ‘I did a video when I found out the bad news and my hands were still shaking, I sent a video out and it took off.
‘Then me and Chloe sat down and talked about it and she wanted to do some videos to help other kids while she was doing chemotherapy.
‘She is a 15-year-old kid a little bit of internet fame and she absolutely loves it.’
Mr Renshaw explained Chloe is currently sedated, due to the pain she is in. and is updating the community when he can.
Speaking to his followers on Facebook he said: ‘Chloe’s situation is really up and down at the moment, it is quite hard to post updates. It is an absolute emotional roller coaster.’
