“Too Young to Be Sick”: How a Young Mother’s Pain Was Overlooked Until It Was Too Late
It started with a dull ache—a persistent pain in the stomach that seemed harmless at first. Twenty-four-year-old Kanisha Collins, a bright, vibrant mother from the UK, walked into the hospital seeking answers.
Doctors said it was pancreatitis, maybe gallstones. Nothing serious. “You’re young,” they reassured her. “You’ll be fine.”
But Kanisha’s body was already telling a different story—one that doctors refused to read.
Now, months later, she’s facing stage-four pancreatic cancer.
Dismissed by Age, Diagnosed Too Late
Back in December, Kanisha began experiencing intense abdominal pain. Despite her symptoms, doctors at Royal Chesterfield Hospital offered a relatively mild diagnosis: inflammation, nothing alarming. Because they worked closely with Weston Park Hospital—a major cancer center—Kanisha trusted the process.
But even as a second CT scan in February revealed a tumor and worsening clotting, the narrative didn’t change. Doctors still believed the mass was harmless. Too young for cancer, they said.
She waited. She suffered. And the pain grew.
A Heartbreaking Discovery
By May, Kanisha was rushed back to the hospital. This time, further scans revealed lesions on her liver—clear signs the cancer had spread. Only then, five months after her initial complaints, did doctors confirm the devastating truth: stage-four pancreatic cancer. Inoperable. Incurable.
“I kept being told it was nothing,” Kanisha shared. “But it wasn’t nothing. It was cancer, and it was growing the whole time.”
The hardest part? It might have been caught earlier—had someone simply looked beyond her age.
A Wedding in the Shadow of Chemotherapy
Before the diagnosis, life was filled with joy. Kanisha was planning her wedding to her fiancé, Mason, while raising their two-year-old daughter, Amaya. Now, instead of a honeymoon, she’s undergoing chemotherapy—her wedding rescheduled to fit between treatments.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “This isn’t how it was supposed to be. But I’m still getting married. That moment still matters.”
Her father, Dean, has organized a celebration that allows her time to rest while still making memories with the people she loves. “She’s stronger than any of us,” he says. “Stronger than she should have to be.”
Fighting for Time—and Awareness
Kanisha is not backing down. Chemotherapy is exhausting, leaving her winded just walking across a room—but her focus is clear: time. Time with her daughter. Time to make memories. Time to live.
Through a GoFundMe campaign started by her father, more than £4,000 has been raised in under 24 hours. The funds will help Kanisha create meaningful experiences—like a holiday to Cornwall, the coastal escape from her childhood.
“I just want my daughter to remember joy,” she says. “Even if I can’t fly abroad right now, a quiet trip to the beach with her would mean everything.”
A Call for Change in the Medical System
Kanisha’s story has sparked outrage—and a serious conversation about bias in healthcare. Her father believes the failure was systemic.
“It felt like no one wanted to push harder because of her age,” Dean said. “One hospital assumed the other would follow up. Meanwhile, her cancer was growing.”
In response, Chesterfield Royal Hospital CEO Dr. Hal Spencer issued a statement expressing regret and offered to review her case, saying:
“We are truly sorry to hear of Kanisha’s experience… Her feedback will help guide our ongoing internal review.”
Not Just a Patient—A Voice
Kanisha’s experience is part of a growing pattern—where young adults, particularly women, are too often dismissed when reporting serious symptoms. Her story is a chilling example of what happens when doctors ignore their own instincts in favor of assumptions.
Now, her mission is larger than her own survival: she wants others to be heard before it’s too late.
“You know your body. If something feels wrong, fight to be taken seriously,” she says. “Don’t let them brush you off.”
A Legacy of Love
As Kanisha begins treatment, the path ahead remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: her strength is undeniable. In the face of unimaginable news, she chooses love over fear. Hope over bitterness. Purpose over blame.
Her story is a powerful reminder that illness doesn’t discriminate by age—and that listening, truly listening, can make the difference between life and death.
Let her journey be a wake-up call for medical professionals and a rallying cry for patients everywhere: no one is ever too young to be taken seriously.