What the athlete thought were normal teenage habits turned out to be early symptoms of ovarian cancer
Former marathon runner Paula Radcliffe revealed she and her husband Gary Lough initially dismissed the early signs of ovarian cancer in their 13-year-old daughter as normal teenage behaviour. Now she’s urging other parents to keep an eye out and take action to protect their families.
Among the symptoms were stomach aches, which the 51-year-old athlete mistook for menstrual cramps. Fatigue, which Paula attributed to typical teenage lethargy and increased bathroom visits while on the trampoline.
Speaking to the i Newspaper, Paula said: “I gave her pelvic floor strengthening exercises, not ever thinking it was a tumour bouncing on her bladder. Don’t miss the signs like we did.”
The one symptom that would have tied it altogether quickly was the lump Isla found on her stomach. This was only noticeable when she was lying down but the teen opted to keep it a secret.
It was only when her and her young brother Raphael were racing in the pool that Paula began getting concerned as Isla struggled to stay underwater as long as she had been able to just weeks earlier. Isla underwent a series of blood tests and when the results were paired with an appointment with a paediatric oncologist, Paula steeled herself for the worst.
Isla was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. While her mum wept in the doctor’s office, Isla felt some unexpected relief in finally being able to understand what was happening within her own body.
According to Cancer Research UK, ovarian cancer affects around 21 people in the UK every day, making it the sixth most common cancer in women, typically affecting those over 75, but with cases starting to rise from around age 10. Paula immediately took a step back from work to support her family.
In the face of adversity, the family rallied together. Even nine-year-old Raphael played a vital role in lifting his sister’s spirits. Paula recalled: “He would sit and let her curl and style his hair when she didn’t have her own, paint his nails…It does bring you closer as a family.”
Due to lockdown restrictions at the time, only one adult was allowed to accompany Isla during her chemotherapy sessions. Gary, her dad, took on this role, while Paula turned to running as a way to “decompress”.
Following nine days of chemotherapy, Isla underwent surgery to remove one ovary and the now 18-year-old has since been cancer-free. However, she couldn’t shake off concerns about her fertility.
She was assured by doctors that many lead full lives with a single ovary. But she quickly countered, as Paula remembered: “Yes, what if that’s the one that you just cut out?”
Following her treatment, Isla has annual checks to detect any recurrence. Although this becomes much less likely after puberty. The return to normal family life post-Isla’s ordeal wasn’t without its challenges.
Paula said: “When she was going through treatment, I relaxed a lot on screen time rules: she had to have an escape. That was, if I’m honest, a hard battle back afterwards.”
The experience profoundly affected them both, giving Paula a newfound gratitude for every day that her family is healthy. Isla herself hopes to use her own story as a means to educate parents and young people about the importance of not dismissing symptoms and being vigilant about changes.
Paula is also now with MetLife, advocating for the necessity of life insurance and protection plans for families, including ChildShield — designed to provide a financial safety net for parents coping with a child’s injury or serious illness.