By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:14 PM on 11th December 2010


A toddler suffering from cancer was misdiagnosed by doctors three times - and told she simply had a cold.

Ruby Tanswell, from Greater Manchester, was given nose drops and antibiotics by GPs despite refusing to eat and fighting to breathe.

It was only after her mother, Adelle Wright, insisted on taking her to hospital that she was told she had cancer - and that a tumour was covering 90 per cent of her windpipe.

Brave: Ruby Tanswell, 16months, whose cancer was misdiagnosed as a cold three times

Brave: Ruby Tanswell, 16months, whose cancer was misdiagnosed as a cold three times. A tumour was covering 90 per cent of her windpipe

Hospital staff told Miss Wright, 29, that her prompt action may have saved her daughter's life.

Miss Wright, an administrator, said: 'It was such a shock when she was diagnosed.

'In a week we had gone from being told she had a cold to having cancer. I felt like the doctors were just fobbing us off as pushy parents, but I knew something was wrong.'

Staying strong: Ruby with her mother Adele Wright and father Lee Tanswell. Ruby is undergoing chemotherapy and faces a fourth operation to remove the cancer in the New Year

Ruby with her mother Adele Wright and father Lee Tanswell. Ruby is undergoing chemotherapy and faces a fourth operation to remove the cancer in the New Year

Ruby, now 16 months, fell ill during a family holiday to Spain in September.

Miss Wright and Ruby's father, Lee Tanswell, 23, were so concerned they cut the holiday short after five days to fly home.

They took Ruby to the GPs' surgery near their home in Stockport but were told her symptoms amounted to nothing more than a cold.

Charity: Miss Wright's cousin, the comedian Jason Manford, has taken part in a sponsored walk to raise 11,000 for the hospital treating Ruby

Charity: Miss Wright's cousin, the comedian Jason Manford, has taken part in a sponsored walk to raise 11,000 for the hospital treating Ruby

In two subsequent visits the same month, Ruby was given antibiotics and nose drops and told to go home.

But Miss Wright followed her instincts and took her daughter to the A&E department at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where she was given the devastating news that Ruby had rhabdomyosarcoma,  a fast-growing and rare soft tissue cancer which only affects around 60 children a year in Britain.

Ruby is now undergoing chemotherapy following three operations to remove the cancer. She faces another operation in the New Year.

Miss Wright, the cousin of comedian Jason Manford,  said: 'If we hadn't taken Ruby there she could have gone to sleep one night and not woken up – which is an horrific thought.'

Mr Manford recently took part in a charity walk for the hospital treating Ruby, raising 11,000.

A spokesman for NHS Stockport said 'We take complaints very seriously and, if we do receive one over this matter, it will be investigated fully and we will act on the results of that investigation.'

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

This is the problem with socialised medicine. Its sort of like going to Walmart, yes you can get it cheaper there, but with no service, no style. There is not stake in it for these doctors. I like it where my doc is entirely accountable to me. If I have a lingering cough, say 2 weeks, he has me at cat scan. Just this morning ON A saturday, My doc is open for 2 hours. I called at 10:30, had us in by 11. Antibiotics for Strep by noon for my children. I don't want to give that up. I'm sorry for the 10% that don't have it, but I don't want to risk the lives of my children.

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This is a very regular occurance - cancer being misdiagnosed it taking two, three or even four or five doctors seeing the same patient before some one finally orders the biopsy - too late. Approximately, 20,000 men will die needlessly from Prostate cancer in 2010 / 2011 because of similar misdiagnosis. That many young children, who have had no life, are also involved is really so tragic: so avoidable.

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Our son had a brain tumour luckily it was a solid benign tumour which was able to be removed successfully. We had exactly the same happen to us. The symptoms were very similar to a flu. Headaches and vomiting. As his condition grew worse it was then obvious to the doctor that is was more than just a cold. I think few doctors would have diagnosed our son's condition on his very first visit. Nor did we expect anything more than a flu. I feel for these people and it reminds me of the times we had with our son when he was 5 and 1/2 years old. Now he is 17.

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To all the sick children and their families, I hope your Christmas brings you good news and a healthy 2011 x
It is devastating to witness a child (no less) grappling with such illness, and it puts a lot in perspective for the rest of us.

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My friend had a son who died needlessly because "he had a cold". My friend repeatedly took her son to the Doctors only to be fobbed off. Her son had in fact got a virus which whilst being fobbed off by the GP had enough time to attack his little heart. In the end, my friend took her son to the children's hospital where he was finally diagnosed with a virus. He lived until he was three years old and then died of a sudden heart attack. Had he been treated earlier - a course of antibiotics would have been enough. My friend tried to get the hospital to apologise - she did not want compensation, just a sorry. The hospital concerned, funnily enough, managed to lose her son's medical notes.

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Mike, Murcia Spain, 11/12/2010 13:18 Mike, I was pleased to read your post. I have often posted comments - when these medical/doctor things come and people slamming national health systems - praising the Spanish system. We can consider ourselves very lucky.

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