Leah Smith, a 22-year-old woman from Woolton, died from a rare form of cancer after suffering from back pain for nine months. Her family believes that an earlier diagnosis could have saved her life.
Symptoms and Delayed Diagnosis
Leah began experiencing lower back pain on her left side in early 2018. Despite multiple visits to doctors and various scans, the cause remained undetected. Her mother, Jenny, said: “She had pain in her lower back on the left side. We kept going to the doctors about it, but with her being so young and the observations coming back all healthy, they were scratching their heads. We had various scans done and nothing ever showed up. After 10 months of back and forth, Leah was in so much pain that she collapsed and we got rushed to hospital.”
In October 2019, Leah was finally diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer affecting bones and soft tissue, primarily in children and young people aged 10 to 20.
Social Media Advocacy and Passing
Leah built a significant following on TikTok, documenting her life with the condition. She passed away on the morning of March 11, 2024.
Family's Campaign for Mandatory GP Training
Jenny and her son Liam are supporting a petition that calls on the government to mandate cancer training for all GPs in England. The training would be standardised, include formal assessment, regular revalidation, and be regulated by NHS England and linked to the General Medical Council (GMC) to improve early diagnosis.
Government Response
The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment. A government spokesperson stated: “We are taking action to improve early diagnosis.” They added that while the petition's requests are outside the government's direct remit, it remains “committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of people with cancer of all ages.”
