A mum and her 12-year-old daughter are facing the unimaginable after both being diagnosed with cancer just months apart, in a devastating double health crisis.
It all began when Janne Fitzsimmons, 49, went to her GP at the end of 2024, complaining about persistent migraines. Unfortunately, her visit led to the discovery of advanced gynaecological cancer, and she began chemotherapy straight away, reported the Mirror.
Her family rallied around her as she started her treatment, but little did they know, their nightmare was about to get even worse. Just three months later, Janne’s 12-year-old daughter, Holly, was found to have a tumour in her neck. Holly had been suffering from neck pain, which led to doctors recommending “risky” and “complex” surgery to remove the “extremely rare” tumour.
Both mum and daughter are now facing gruelling treatment in the coming weeks. Janne is preparing for major abdominal surgery while Holly begins six weeks of intensive radiotherapy at The Christie in Manchester.
Close family friend Eleanor Davey shared the heartbreaking journey with the Manchester Evening News, saying, “It has been horrendous. Janne was diagnosed and started chemotherapy, and then Holly, who is just a ray of sunshine, was rushed into emergency surgery.”
The surgery Holly underwent was incredibly risky, involving the removal of her vertebrae and surgery near her spinal cord. Eleanor explained that it was “touch and go” whether Holly would be left paralysed. Thankfully, Holly made it through the surgery, but now faces ongoing cancer treatments as well as rehabilitation to regain mobility and manage nerve pain and numbness.
“It has been very tough on the family,” Eleanor added. “It is everyone’s worst nightmare, especially that operation for Holly where it was touch and go. Janne and Andrew [her husband] are being so brave. It’s very surreal. Janne and Holly now have this very unusual bond that nobody would ever want to have with their child.”
The ordeal has also taken a financial toll on the family, as both Janne and her husband, Andrew, are self-employed. To help, Eleanor and other friends and family set up a GoFundMe page to support the family, which could go towards ongoing treatments. The fundraiser reads: “With Janne unable to work due to treatment and Andrew dedicating himself full-time to caring for his wife and daughters, the family has no stable income during this critical period. Any donation – no matter the size – would mean the world to this resilient and generous family.”
Sadly, Janne and Holly aren’t the only mother and daughter to face this heart-wrenching situation. In Scunthorpe, Jessica Warrington, 31, and her mother, Sarah Voy, 53, were diagnosed with the same type of cancer within months of each other. Their symptoms, initially dismissed as menopause and asthma, were later confirmed to be cancer.
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