Bravery of the girl who died of bowel cancer at 18

TEENAGER Charlotte Simpson had her whole life ahead of her with dreams of university and becoming a teacher.

But, with her 18th birthday a fortnight away, she was given the devastating news that she had advanced bowel cancer.

Only four months later, Charlotte died at home surrounded by her family, becoming one of the disease’s youngest victims.

Her mother Sarah, 46, said: ‘I always thought age was on our side but it wasn’t. Doctors told us that the fact her cells were still so young meant the cancer could divide quicker.’

She told of the moment in January when she learnt the result of hospital tests which revealed how ill Charlotte was.

‘I knew from the looks on their faces that the news wasn’t going to be good as they went ghostly white,’ said Mrs Simpson, of Whiteley, Hampshire. ‘They said there was a very high chance Charlotte had cancer, to which she replied, “Don’t be silly, I’m only 17”.’

Five days later, after MRI and CT scans, doctors confirmed she had stage four bowel cancer which had spread to her stomach and lymph nodes. Despite the horrifying news, Charlotte, pictured, bravely continued with plans to mark her 18th birthday two weeks later, celebrating with a family dinner and a sleepover party with friends.

The next day, her chemotherapy and immunotherapy began, administered at Southampton General Hospital and at home. By mid-March she was in agony and surgeons performed a colostomy, but Charlotte never recovered.

A CT scan in April showed the cancer had spread extensively, leaving her only weeks to live.

She stayed in hospital, with her mother by her side day and night. Lockdown meant no one else could see her and at the start of May her parents decided to take her home. Charlotte died on May 22 and was buried in June.

Mrs Simpson, a former civil servant, said: ‘This disease, while rare, can strike in young people too. I don’t want to see other families grieving like us.’