A ten-year-old girl from Wythenshawe, who was repeatedly told her debilitating headaches were migraines or hormones, has undergone brain surgery to remove a tumour and is now fundraising for Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.
Missed Diagnosis Despite Red Flags
Francesca 'Frankey' Gregory had been suffering from severe headaches for over a year, often waking her up at night and causing vomiting. Her mother, Gabby Gregory, took her to the GP on eight occasions and to A&E, but doctors attributed the symptoms to migraines or hormones.
Gabby told the Manchester Evening News: “I wanted to bring the story out there for two reasons. One, always trust your motherly instinct. We got sent away, saying it was a migraine or down to hormones, and it wasn’t. It was a huge tumour.”
Discovery and Surgery
In April, after another A&E visit, Frankey was finally referred to a specialist. An MRI scan in May revealed a 36.2mm growth in her brain. Last month, she had surgery at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital to drain fluid from the mass, staying in hospital for five days.
Doctors biopsied the tumour and diagnosed it as a craniopharyngioma, a benign tumour pressing on her pituitary gland. Symptoms often include vision loss, but Frankey's main symptom was headaches. Gabby said: “When we went to hospital they were shocked that the child could even see. Being sick because of a headache is a red flag. Dizziness is a red flag. Waking up in pain is a red flag.”
Fundraising for the Hospital
After her operation, Frankey decided to sell homemade crochet charm bracelets to raise money for the hospital's charitable trust. She had previously made £60 from bracelet sales and used the profit to buy more materials. Gabby said: “I thought what a beautiful idea for a ten-year-old. She’s so selfless for her age. We’re just going to donate every last penny to the children’s hospital because they are beautiful, what they do is amazing.”
Uncertainty and Family Impact
Doctors will decide later this week whether Frankey needs another operation to remove the tumour entirely or undergo radiotherapy. Gabby said: “There’s been a lot of anxiety, it feels like you're holding your breath. But I have 100 per cent faith in the doctors. They’ve treated us with compassion and kindness.”
Frankey's two older sisters, Kayla, 15, and Daisy, 13, have also been affected. Gabby said: “When Kayla came to see her in hospital she had a little cry. We’ve not hidden anything from them. They’ve all done so amazing and I’m proud of them all.”
Frankey is still recovering, feeling tired and frustrated at times. Gabby said: “She tried some Lego the other day and got frustrated. She loves Lego and she couldn’t do it and she got a bit upset.”
