“Nobody should go through it”: 24-year-old mum’s life “cruelly cut short” after gallstones misdiagnosis

A young mother, told she has terminal cancer, was misdiagnosed for five months before the devastating truth was revealed. Kanisha Collins, who is just 24, has incurable stage four pancreatic cancer which was initially dismissed as gallstones.

The bride-to-be started experiencing liver pain and recurring water infections last winter. She was treated for pancreatitis at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, during which doctors found a large mass on her pancreas and blood clots.

A CT scan in February showed a slight shrinking in the mass, and doctors told her it was likely gallstones. Given her young age, no further tests were carried out. Kanisha was scheduled for an MRI scan later in the year but went to A&E in April due to pain, where her liver lesions were discovered.

A biopsy revealed that she had stage four pancreatic cancer that had already spread. Kanisha started chemotherapy this week in an attempt to slow down the spread of the disease.

The care assistant from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, is set to marry her partner Mason Furnace, 29, on Saturday (June 7), with Kanisha’s two-year-old daughter Amaya as the bride’s flower girl. The bride said: “We’ve been engaged for two years, but when they found the mass my fiancé wanted to get married this year to speed things up.

“It’s stressful, I’m having chemo so obviously I’m going to be tired on my wedding day–not how I wanted to feel on my wedding day. But I’m still going to be thoroughly looking forward to it because it’s a day with friends and family and a day to celebrate me.”

Kanisha went to see her doctor in December 2024 after experiencing pain, appetite problems and indigestion. Doctors found a mass on her pancreas in December but didn't test it - assuming it was gallstones. Kanisha said: “They misdiagnosed me because of my age, saying they didn’t think anyone my age would have that kind of cancer. They never attempted to test the mass they found back in December."

Continually monitoring the mass, doctors found in February 2025 that it was shrinking. Kanisha said: "When they said the mass shrunk slightly, obviously it was positive news, but I felt like they just kept testing the mass rather than actually doing something about it or properly testing it. And now I’m left with something incurable."

In April the mum-of-one went to A&E for lower stomach pain and a CT scan finally revealed she had pancreatic cancer. She said: “When it came back that it all stemmed from my pancreas, it was heart-breaking for me, because I’m 24 and I just feel like the hospital could have done more and pushed for more tests in the beginning. Then I might not have been in the situation I am now.

“People should get tested sooner for anything they find mass-wise, in any age of a person, because nobody should go through it. The problem with pancreatic cancer, there’s not that many symptoms. But your appetite lessens and you get a lot more indigestion and stuff because it’s to do with your digestive system."

Kanisha and her daughter Amaya are living in Chesterfield with Kanisha’s father Dean Collins, who set up a GoFundMe to support photo sessions, keepsakes, and memory-making days out between the mother and her daughter.

The young mother said: “My daughter is only the age of two so she’s not understanding anything at the moment. Obviously it’s putting a lot of strain on the family and financially of course. Everyone’s trying to support me and my daughter.”

Train driver Dean said on the fundraising site: “Despite being so young, her life is being cruelly cut short. She now faces the unimaginable – preparing to say goodbye to her two-year-old daughter, Amaya.

“Amaya will grow up without her mummy by her side throughout her childhood, teenage years, and adult life. The pain of this loss is unimaginable for our family. Tragically, Kanisha’s cancer was initially misdiagnosed by the hospital as a non-cancerous mass, causing a delay in proper treatment and reducing her chances of survival.”

Dr Hal Spencer, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital said: “We always strive to give the best care, and we are sorry to hear of Kanisha’s experience. Throughout, her care has always been considered seriously, and we have consulted with regional specialist colleagues who were advising us on her care and management.

“We would encourage Kanisha and her family to contact us, and we will support them in a full review of her care in order that we can understand the decisions taken and the management advice given. This will help inform our internal reviews already underway.”