Isla Sneddon was 15 when she found a lump in her breast and asked doctors to check it. Her family says they were told it was likely linked to normal teenage changes and not treated as urgent.
Over the next two years, Isla continued to feel unwell. When doctors finally suggested a biopsy at age 17, the referral was downgraded because she was considered too young. By the time cancer was confirmed, it had already spread. Her parents were told she had only months to live.
Her family believes this delay cost Isla her life. They say an adult with the same symptoms would have received faster tests and closer follow-up. In their view, earlier action could have made the cancer treatable.
Isla went through chemotherapy and long hospital stays, but her condition worsened. She died at 17. Her parents describe her as kind, bright, and full of energy, and say she tried to live as normally as possible despite her illness.
Since her death, the family has been campaigning for “Isla’s Law.” They want children and teenagers with possible cancer symptoms to receive the same urgent referral timelines as adults within the NHS. Their aim is to prevent other families from facing the same tragedy.
