• Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
What's On

Home Bargains reduces £25 ‘nourishing’ hair mask with ‘lava clay’ to £5

9 July 2025

Liverpool transfer news: Ibrahima Konate confirms Real Madrid plan as star breaks silence

9 July 2025

Pilot reveals why you should never wear flip-flops on plane

9 July 2025

P Diddy’s sentencing date confirmed and timeline revealed as he waits in jail

9 July 2025

Flight attendant shares why you should ‘never’ wear a dress on long-haul flight

9 July 2025

Met Office urges anyone on public transport to carry 2 things with them this week

9 July 2025

Milan Bergamo Airport speaks out after tragedy as man is ‘sucked into engine’

9 July 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • Home Bargains reduces £25 ‘nourishing’ hair mask with ‘lava clay’ to £5
  • Liverpool transfer news: Ibrahima Konate confirms Real Madrid plan as star breaks silence
  • Pilot reveals why you should never wear flip-flops on plane
  • P Diddy’s sentencing date confirmed and timeline revealed as he waits in jail
  • Flight attendant shares why you should ‘never’ wear a dress on long-haul flight
  • Met Office urges anyone on public transport to carry 2 things with them this week
  • Milan Bergamo Airport speaks out after tragedy as man is ‘sucked into engine’
  • Huge Amazon Prime Day sale slashes Coco & Eve’s ‘best tanner on the market’ by 30%
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
England TimesEngland Times
Demo
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
England TimesEngland Times
Home » Paula Radcliffe ‘ignored’ daughter’s cancer symptoms, warning other parents
Health

Paula Radcliffe ‘ignored’ daughter’s cancer symptoms, warning other parents

By staff8 July 2025No Comments4 Mins Read

What the athlete thought were normal teenage habits turned out to be early symptoms of ovarian cancer

Paula Radcliffe
Paula Radcliffe’s daughter was just 13 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer(Image: GETTY)

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.

Paula Radcliffe
Paula said the ordeal has brought her family closer and made her appreciate good health even more(Image: GETTY)

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?”

Paula Radcliffe and Gary Lough
Only one parent was allowed to be with Isla during her treatment due to the lockdown rules at the time(Image: GETTY)

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.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

Related News

Toddler’s life saved after mum spots small detail in seemingly normal photo

9 July 2025

‘Drink driver smashed into me at 60mph and left me in a coma, aged 19’

9 July 2025

Cutting back on one food group could lower your dementia risk

9 July 2025

‘I’ve got motor neurone disease now my partner is going home to die – I’m really scared’

8 July 2025

Evening habit linked to higher diabetes and heart disease risks

8 July 2025

‘I’m an NHS doctor – five common daily habits could quietly age your brain’

8 July 2025
Latest News

Liverpool transfer news: Ibrahima Konate confirms Real Madrid plan as star breaks silence

9 July 2025

Pilot reveals why you should never wear flip-flops on plane

9 July 2025

P Diddy’s sentencing date confirmed and timeline revealed as he waits in jail

9 July 2025

Flight attendant shares why you should ‘never’ wear a dress on long-haul flight

9 July 2025
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Don't Miss
News

Met Office urges anyone on public transport to carry 2 things with them this week

By staff9 July 20250

The Met Office is predicting a steady increase in temperatures again this week with a…

Milan Bergamo Airport speaks out after tragedy as man is ‘sucked into engine’

9 July 2025

Huge Amazon Prime Day sale slashes Coco & Eve’s ‘best tanner on the market’ by 30%

9 July 2025

Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta makes Eberechi Eze plan as £17m price tag set

9 July 2025
England Times
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 England Times. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Go to mobile version