Mum given months to live after late cancer diagnosis

A 22-year-old mother says she may only have months to live after being diagnosed with a rare cancer despite dozens of visits to the NHS.

Ellie Howells, from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, recently began chemotherapy for Langerhans cell sarcoma after a protracted diagnosis journey.

Her fiancé, Jack Rogers, said that Ms Howells visited her GP and Medway Maritime Hospital about "30 times in six months with various pains" before appropriate testing began.

The Medway NHS Foundation Trust declined to comment.

Ms Howells, who has a three-year-old son, said she had been unwell since November, before her visits to her GP and hospital and eventual diagnosis.

Mr Rogers said: "Each time she was assured it was some virus which would pass – but she was being sick nearly every day."

Ms Howells is undergoing chemotherapy at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London for Langerhans cell sarcoma, a cancer thought to affect two in every 100 million people.

It remains to be seen how effective chemotherapy will be, but the family said they were preparing themselves for the possibility that Ms Howells may only have months to live.

In light of this, Mr Rogers' mother, Steph Plank, has set up a fundraising page to create "memories" for the trio – including a wedding for the engaged couple.

"Once we have made our memories, any money left over will be donated to The Royal Marsden Hospital to help them do research and create awareness of the disease," Ms Plank added.

Mr Rogers said he had been "bowled over" by the generosity of others.

The fundraising page has raised almost £7,000 so far.

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