Girl, 16, diagnosed with leukaemia after ‘very strange’ symptom

Health & Fitness
5 Aug 2026 • 7:26 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Girl, 16, diagnosed with leukaemia after ‘very strange’ symptom

  • Kaitlyn Hurlstone, 18, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia at 16 after experiencing ‘very strange’ symptoms such as overgrown gums, fatigue, and vomiting.
  • Following her diagnosis in June 2024, Kaitlyn underwent four rounds of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, and brain surgery.
  • In June 2026, her cancer spread to her spinal fluid, causing blindness and unresponsiveness, leading doctors to tell her family to prepare for goodbyes before she miraculously recovered.
  • Doctors have since informed the family that the NHS cannot offer further treatment, stating they are in "uncharted waters" regarding her condition.
  • Her mother, Angharad Hurlstone, is now fundraising £150,000 for alternative private treatments, including a potential "breakthrough drug" or another stem cell transplant, as the NHS will not fund a second one.

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