A woman who suffered a 'dull ache' in her knee for years was later diagnosed with a 'one-in-a-million' disease. Bethany Middleton first noticed symptoms when she was 19. The now 29-year-old from Bromborough on the Wirral described the pain as 'intermittent' and 'occurring out of the blue'.
Initial Misdiagnosis
Bethany recalled that one Christmas she struggled to bend her knee. In January 2017, she found a lump and visited doctors repeatedly. She was told it might be arthritis or a pulled muscle. 'I was 19, how can I have arthritis?' she questioned.
Dissatisfied, she sought another appointment and was referred for an X-ray. Before receiving results, her condition worsened while at her boyfriend Ashley's house. 'I went to take a break upstairs. And as I sat down, my knee shattered,' she said.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Paramedics initially thought she needed to straighten her leg, but fitting a brace caused further breakage. At the hospital, X-rays revealed a pathological fracture due to a tumour. Transferred to a bone cancer centre, she broke her leg again. A biopsy confirmed a giant cell tumour of the bone.
'Giant cell tumours are very rare and aggressive, one in a million, affecting people aged 20 to 40. I was 19, so it was unexpected,' Bethany explained. Surgery to fit an artificial knee and thigh bone carried a high risk of amputation but was successful. She was warned 99% of patients struggle with full mobility, but she was determined to be in the 1%.
Recovery and Family Life
Nine years later, Bethany is happily married to Ashley, and they are expecting their third child, joining Noah, 5, and Jude, one. Reflecting on her journey, she said: 'Time stops when you get a diagnosis, your life stops, but everything around you keeps moving.' She recalled telling Ashley to leave, but he refused, saying he would be there for her.
Charity Gala
Bethany is now organising a charity gala night at Thornton Hall Hotel on Saturday, July 4, hosted by TV doctor Dr Liz O'Riordan, who has had cancer three times. The event also has backing from healthcare campaigner Chris Pointon and comedian Matt Forde. 'Keep pushing for answers. If you are in the darkness, don't give up. There is light,' she said.
According to Sarcoma UK, giant cell tumours grow in bone, usually not cancerous, but can damage bone and spread. Very rarely, they may turn into cancer.
