A teenager who developed toothache was told that the pain and swelling she experienced was in fact a rare tumour that had grown to the size of a gobstopper. Nadia Hobbs, 18, of Exeter, started to get toothache and believed that this was due to her wisdom tooth coming through. However, after further inspection she found a lump on her jaw line, which quickly grew in size. Doctors were initially baffled by the condition after tests were done on her glands to try and determine the problem.
Nadia was referred to A&E in terrible pain and finally a diagnosis was made; a rare form of cancer known as rhabdomyosarcoma had developed and the teenager would have to undergo seven rounds of chemotherapy to get rid of the tumour – it has now shrunk by 75%. Nadia thanks her mum for referring her to A&E after the pain worsened and says that she was given the diagnosis ‘sooner rather than later’. She added that the pain was similar to that of a wisdom tooth coming through, which meant she was referred to a dentist after visiting her GP.
After completing her treatment, the teenager said ‘I still don’t know what my future holds but I know I’m going to fight cancer every step of the way’ and she is now fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust, having raised £15,000 already.