Gracie Mae Cooper, 19, was diagnosed after experiencing severe stomach pains she initially mistook for period pain
A teenager believed she was simply experiencing particularly severe period pain – before receiving a devastating diagnosis.
Just months ago, 19-year-old Gracie Mae Cooper was living life to the fullest and progressing in her dream career through a childcare apprenticeship at a nursery. So when intense stomach pains struck earlier this year, she put it down to nothing more than exceptionally painful periods. Yet within roughly a fortnight, her world and that of her tight-knit family was completely turned upside down.
What started as what she thought were cramps rapidly progressed to hospital visits, scans and examinations before medics broke the devastating news no 19 year old anticipates hearing – she had cancer.
“I had intense stomach pains making me really uncomfortable and I could barely move, this led to going to the doctors thinking it’s period pains,” explains Gracie from Congleton, Cheshire. “They advised to go to Royal Stoke hospital to see my gynaecologist to get further checks, which led to an ultrasound.”
After the examinations and ultrasound, medics found a cyst on one of Gracie’s ovaries. In the overwhelming majority of instances, ovarian cysts are benign, may cause discomfort and frequently resolve themselves without intervention. At that point, there was nothing indicating anything more sinister.
“Nothing showed previous signs to what it turned out to be, I just had really bad stomach pains thinking it was period pains,” Gracie says. But just a fortnight after her symptoms first appeared, further tests revealed the cyst was actually a rare form of ovarian cancer called germ cell cancer, which primarily affects teenagers and young people. Approximately 2,500 people across the UK are diagnosed with germ cell cancers annually.
While most cases occur in men with testicular germ cell tumours, ovarian germ cell cancers are considerably rarer, representing fewer than 5% of all ovarian cancer diagnoses. The diagnosis blindsided Gracie, who had been fit and well, living normally just days before. She says the moment doctors delivered the news will stay with her forever.
“I remember this moment like it was yesterday, I first thought, ‘Oh my god I’m going to die, I’m too young for this,’ as I’m sat in the hospital waiting for results,” she recalls.
Gracie hasn’t yet been informed what stage her cancer is at, but treatment has already commenced, involving chemotherapy to reduce the tumour’s size ahead of surgery. She’ll undergo four cycles of chemotherapy spanning three to six months, followed by additional scans to monitor her progress.
Beyond the physical demands of chemotherapy, Gracie and her family face exhausting regular trips from Cheshire to London for treatment, a round journey of roughly 370 miles. “Treatment has been physically exhausting as we’re backwards and forwards from Congleton to London,” she says. “Emotionally I have been up and down, but mostly down, as this is not something I was expecting, especially at this age.”
The substantial expense of travelling such vast distances while undergoing treatment has also heaped considerable financial strain on the family.
“[It’s] absolutely terrible as the travel is 185 miles taking around four hours each way,” she says of the journey. “This was costing a lot of money in fuel, around £80-90 each trip along with accommodation costing £400 for a week.”
Being so distant from home during treatment has brought extra anxieties. “Having to travel all that way to get treatment is not fun, as I’m thinking if anything goes wrong I’m four hours away from help,” she says. “As I’m not physically fit enough to do a lot of things, I would just sit looking out the car window watching time go by.”
Yet the most challenging aspect of Gracie’s cancer battle has been extended separations from her nearest and dearest. “I think that’s been the worst part about it all, knowing I can’t see my family for long periods at a time,” she says. “I believe this is what made my mental health worse.”
The diagnosis has also compelled her to pause her apprenticeship, something she describes as incredibly painful after discovering a job she truly cherished. “I really loved my apprenticeship as this was my life, I really loved looking after the kids and building a relationship with them,” she says.
“I didn’t understand how much I meant to these kids, I have received lots of cards, handmade from the lovely kids I look after… Putting my apprenticeship on hold has been really difficult as this was a big part of my life.”
Despite the challenges she’s encountered in recent months, Gracie reveals the experience has transformed her perspective on life and strengthened her resolve to seize every opportunity going forward.
“It has made me more determined to do more things I haven’t done before and experience what life is made for,” she says. “I will make sure I spend more time with my family and take holidays as and when I can as this is a time to get away from life itself. Cancer has flipped mine and my family’s life upside down, we have had to cancel many days out and a big family holiday due to this.”
During her treatment, she’s leant heavily on those closest to her, especially her sister.
“My sister has been my biggest support through this, she has been there for me through all of this, but my family has been there for me through all of this helping me through tough times,” she says.
Gracie Mae now hopes sharing her story will inspire others not to dismiss worrying symptoms and to get medical advice if something doesn’t feel right. “(Don’t) feel alone as there are a lot of people that give support,” she says.
“But more importantly it is to get checked if you think something is off as this will save your life, yes it’s scary but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
After receiving her diagnosis, Gracie Mae and her family set up a fundraising campaign to help meet the mounting expenses of journeying to London for treatment and securing accommodation while away from home.
