Girl, 3, diagnosed with rare tumour after ‘wart’ was dismissed as ‘nothing to worry about’ by GP for two years

A GIRL was diagnosed with a rare tumour on her foot - after doctors mistook it for a wart.

Nansi Alys was taken to the doctor at the age of three after her mum Leila Evans noticed a small lump on her toe.

6

6

Doctors told Leila that the lump was a wart - but in the months following, the lump continued to grow.

Leila, from Criccieth in Gwynedd, Wales, persisted - until in 2022, when a different GP saw the lump and believed it to be a tumour.

"In May 2021, I took her to the doctor because I found a little wart-type growth on her toe," said Leila.

"We went back and forth, and they said they thought it was a wart and there was nothing to worry about."

Read more on cancer

HEARTLESS

Mum claimed child had cancer to steal from charity set up in memory of tragic boy

'WE FEEL NUMB'

Dad, 47, diagnosed with incurable cancer just 2 days after his baby was born

In June 22, they were seen by another doctor, who said the lump looked like a cyst.

"He transferred us to a specialist at Bangor Hospital, and he said it looked like a benign cyst and there was nothing to worry about," she explained.

Doctors gave Leila the option get to leave the lump or get it removed.

"I said that I'd prefer for it all to be taken out and tested.

Most read in Health

TOILET TALK

How many times a week you should really poo - and 11 tips to get back on track

FERTILITY SHOCK

Trans men & lesbians to get IVF priority over straight couples in NHS plan

EMERGENCY

Fury as NHS STILL spending millions on woke projects despite Labour's vow

SURGE IN TUMOURS

Reason more Brits are being diagnosed with Davina’s very rare brain tumour

"I had no idea what it was - it was just growing and growing."

In 2023, Nansi underwent surgery to remove the lump, and after a six week wait, the family received answers.

Nansi was diagnosed with a desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF) - a rare type of intermediate soft tissue tumour, which sits somewhere between non-cancerous and cancerous.

DF itself is not specifically a cancer, but comes under the umbrella of sarcoma - a group of rare cancers that originate in the bones or soft tissue.

"Everything was going around in my mind - what if my daughter has cancer?" said Leila.

"I wish the doctors would have listened to me.

"It was scary for the whole family - she's my baby and she was only six years old at the time."

6

6

'I'm doing it for Nansi'

After receiving the shocking diagnosis, the family looked to charity Sarcoma UK for information and support.

"When we found out, the doctor told us that if we're going to Google it, make sure we use the Sarcoma UK website, so that's what I did," said Leila.

"Within a week of Nansi's diagnosis, Sarcoma UK had posted us a lot of information about what it was and what the next steps were.

"They helped us track our appointments, and told us about what we could do as a family to help her - they've been really good."

On Saturday, inspired by Nansi's story, the family climbed Mount Snowdon, raising over £1,300 for Sarcoma UK in their five-hour climb.

"I've never gone up Snowdon before, so if I was going to do it, it had to be for a good cause - and what could be better than raising money for Sarcoma UK?" said Leila.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

sick scam

I'm A Celeb star's horror as thieves target her by pretending to be her daughter

TIME'S UP

Strictly's latest axed star revealed as fans say 'right decision was made'

She added: "It was a beautiful day. To begin with, I did struggle, but it was amazing. All I had in my head was 'I'm doing it for Nansi.'

"I'm over the moon that we've been able to raise this much. My target to begin with was £500, and that was hit in the first few days. I'm extremely happy."

6

6