One night, while Beth Phelps was getting ready for bed and brushing her teeth, her parents observed a “protruding lump” on her shoulder through her T-shirt.
Up until then, Beth was a healthy little girl.
Sadly, after seeing a doctor, it was determined that 12-year-old Beth had a 7 cm tumor on her left lung that was Ewing sarcoma, a rare and serious type of cancer.
Beth started her treatments right away. She had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. After that, she was given the all-clear.
In June 2022, Beth’s right shoulder started to hurt. The pain got worse, and an x-ray indicated that the cancer had spread to her second lung. This time, things didn’t look good.
Beth passed away on October 3, 2022.
Before she died, her parents may take part in a trial for therapy. However, they decided to use palliative care to make “her time left as comfortable as possible.”
Ben, Beth’s dad, said, “Our world changed in an instant.” There were no clear symptoms that she was sick. Beth was a small girl who was in good health.
She was afraid of needles, but she was able to endure all of the treatment effectively. When we found out her cancer had come back, we were shocked and heartbroken.
The father, who was quite sad, added, “We had never heard of Ewing sarcoma before.” That’s why I’m trying to make as much money as I can. We need to find better strategies to help more people stay alive.
“Beth is always my source of inspiration and guidance. This could be hard work for her, but it’s nothing compared to what she went through. We think about Beth every day, and we are resolved to do something good in her memory.
Ben is now riding his bike from Land’s End, Cornwall, to John O’Groats, Caithness, Scotland, to collect money for the Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT).