At age 18, Nadia Hobbs began experiencing what she thought was pain from a wisdom tooth. But after massaging her jaw to relieve the pain, she found a small pea-sized lump.
She went to a doctor and had various tests to rule out things like mumps and glandular fever. By the time she was referred to a specialist, the lump had doubled in size, causing excruciating pain.
Her mother, sick of waiting for a correct diagnosis, took her daughter to the emergency room. There she was finally diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Nadia’s mother kept pushing for a diagnosis and after she made sure her daughter was treated as soon as possible.
If you notice any changes in your health that don’t improve after two weeks, go to your doctor to get checked out. And if you don’t feel comfortable with the response, get a second opinion.
Nadia believes that “young people need to be taken more seriously when it comes to their health.”
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Symptoms
- wisdom tooth pain
- pea-sized lump in jaw