The heartbroken family of a seven-year-old girl are demanding answers after a tragic misdiagnosis led to her death from an aggressive cancer, with medics initially wrongly blaming her parents for her symptoms.
Ava Macfarlane from Bonnybridge, Scotland, first developed a small lump on her face in 2022. Her concerned parents, Maria and Billy, repeatedly sought medical help, but their fears were dismissed. Shockingly, they were even accused of causing the mark themselves.
It was only months later, as Ava's health rapidly deteriorated, that the devastating truth was uncovered. Doctors diagnosed her with high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. By then, the disease had already spread to her bones and bone marrow.
A brutal treatment regime followed, including chemotherapy, a nine-hour surgery, a stem cell transplant, and radiotherapy. For a brief, hopeful period, Ava was declared cancer-free. But the reprieve was tragically short-lived.
"The cancer came back more aggressive and there was nothing more they could do," her aunt, Sonya Macfarlane, told the Daily Record. "We are all completely broken."
Ava passed away in July 2024, surrounded by her loving family. Her story has ignited outrage and raised serious questions about the failure to identify her cancer sooner.
A Family's Plea for Change
The Macfarlane family is now channelling their grief into action. They are sharing Ava's story to raise awareness about neuroblastoma and to ensure no other family endures a similar nightmare of being wrongly blamed while their child suffers.
Their key demands include:
- Greater awareness of neuroblastoma symptoms among medical professionals.
- Faster referral processes for concerning symptoms in children.
- A full review of Ava's case to understand how the initial misdiagnosis occurred.
Ava is remembered as a "cheeky, happy, and loving little girl" who adored unicorns and the colour pink. Her family's courage in speaking out aims to create a legacy that could save the lives of other children.
