Daughter's Tiredness Dismissed as Growing Pains, Later Diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer
Cheryl Barber, from Uxbridge, West London, says her daughter Tamelia Felway began experiencing tiredness and aches in September 2022 at age 11. The keen dancer quit her hobby, started gaining weight, and had mood swings. Barber sought GP advice but says she was told it was 'growing pains' and 'puberty', with normal blood tests.
In September 2024, Barber noticed a lump on Tamelia's throat. After over a year of tests, the lump was removed. In November 2025, Great Ormond Street Hospital confirmed Tamelia had thyroid cancer. She began radiotherapy on May 8, 2026.
Mother Urges Parents to Trust Their Gut After Lengthy Diagnosis
Barber told Kennedy News: 'It was like the light just disappeared from her eyes. She had danced since she was four but couldn't do it anymore because she was too tired.' She added: 'I just noticed a lump one Saturday morning... it was like a golf ball. Immediately alarm bells rang.'
Tamelia has two types of thyroid cancer, though the stage is unclear. Doctors believe the cancer may have been present for three years. Barber says: 'I’m frustrated and angry that there was nothing pointed in any direction for doctors to pick up when I knew in my gut something wasn’t right.'
GoFundMe Raises Over £3,200 for Hospital Travel Costs
Barber set up a GoFundMe to help with trips to hospital while caring for her two-year-old daughter, Lily. It has raised more than £3,200. She urges other parents: 'Just follow your gut because I knew it was something else.'
According to the NHS, thyroid cancer symptoms include a lump in the neck, hoarse voice, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing or breathing. Treatment often involves surgery, hormone therapy, radioactive iodine, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy.
