Doctors in the UK have issued an apology to a 32-year-old woman after she underwent a hysterectomy, only to later discover that the ‘tumor’ on her ovary was not cancerous.

Rhian Butlin received a life-altering cancer diagnosis on her 32nd birthday. However, for weeks following the diagnosis, doctors were mistaken about the type of cancer she was facing, leading to a series of missteps in her treatment.

Her ordeal began in September 2024, when Rhian visited her doctor complaining of severe abdominal pain. An initial scan suggested she might be suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition characterized by ovarian cysts and hormonal imbalances. Doctors initially reassured her, attributing her symptoms to this common disorder.

However, as her pain intensified and her abdomen visibly swelled, Rhian returned to the hospital. A subsequent scan revealed a substantial 25cm mass on one of her ovaries. Alarmed by the size and appearance of the tumor, medical professionals moved quickly, fearing the worst.

In a heartfelt post shared on GoFundMe, Rhian’s older sister, Lindsey Rice, recounted how the situation rapidly deteriorated. Prior to her scheduled surgery, Rhian experienced severe complications — she developed significant fluid accumulation that required emergency drainage. She also contracted a serious infection that led to sepsis, ultimately forcing doctors to place her in an induced coma to stabilize her condition.

After weeks of recovery, Rhian was finally strong enough to undergo surgery. During the procedure, surgeons not only removed her ovaries and uterus through a full hysterectomy but also took out her appendix and the lining of her bowel. Biopsies were conducted on all three organs as a precaution. After surgery, she was sent home to begin her physical and emotional recovery.

Two months later, Rhian was called back to the hospital for a follow-up appointment. It was during this meeting that doctors delivered devastating news — and an apology. The biopsy results showed there was no ovarian cancer present. Doctors now suspected Rhian may have had endometriosis, a painful but non-cancerous condition that can mimic the appearance of tumors on imaging scans.

"She didn’t have ovarian cancer... apparently they couldn’t find it, so they assumed she must have colon cancer," Lindsey wrote in her GoFundMe update.

Following this revelation, Rhian underwent a colonoscopy to investigate the possibility of colon cancer. To her immense relief, doctors gave her the ‘all clear’—yet despite the reassurances, Rhian sensed that something was still wrong. Her instincts proved correct.

Just one day later, Rhian contacted her doctor again, driven by an uneasy feeling. Further tests revealed that she was, in fact, suffering from cancer of the appendix. Tragically, although her appendix had already been removed during the previous surgery, the disease had already spread to her pelvis and lymph nodes by then. Within a mere two months, the cancer advanced to an aggressive stage four diagnosis.

Sharing her painful journey with MailOnline, Rhian confessed: "I'm just emotionally drained. I'm constantly scared, and some nights I barely sleep. It's been a very scary journey, if I'm honest. Obviously, I've had a full hysterectomy when I did not need to. I've had my ovaries removed when I did not have ovarian cancer, and I've had the lining of my bowel removed unnecessarily. Then they removed my appendix in December, but it wasn’t until months later that they found cancer there."

The emotional toll of losing vital organs unnecessarily, coupled with the ongoing fear for her future, has left Rhian devastated. The situation is even more heartbreaking as she is a single mother, raising her children alone without the support of a partner.

Her GoFundMe page highlights the urgent need for support: "She’s everything to her children. She has brought them up single-handedly from day one." Lindsey has appealed for donations to create a financial cushion for the family, with the hope that it can be used to make lasting memories during these difficult times.

Now, Rhian faces weeks — and possibly months — of grueling chemotherapy. Despite everything, she remains determined to fight for the sake of her children. Her story is not only a heartbreaking account of medical misdiagnosis but also a testament to a mother’s incredible resilience and unwavering love.