12-Year-Old Girl Dies from Rare Cancer After Parents Spot Lump While Brushing Teeth

Beth Phelps, a bright and healthy 12-year-old from Jersey, tragically passed away from Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. Her parents, Ben and Aby, first noticed a lump on her shoulder while she was brushing her teeth in December 2020.
Scans at Jersey General Hospital revealed a 7 cm tumor in her left lung. Beth began chemotherapy on Christmas Day, followed by major surgery to remove her left shoulder blade, and weeks of radiotherapy. Despite the difficult treatments, she remained strong and positive. After nine months, she was declared cancer-free.

Sadly, in June 2022, Beth started experiencing pain in her right shoulder. Scans revealed the cancer had returned. Faced with the choice of enrolling her in a clinical trial or focusing on her comfort, her parents chose palliative care.

Beth passed away on October 3, 2022, surrounded by her parents, their dog, and cat. She was just 12 days away from her 13th birthday.

In her memory, her father Ben, an HR director, is cycling across the UK from Land’s End to John O’Groats (June 22–July 5) to raise funds for the Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT) through JustGiving.

“Beth is my guiding light,” Ben said. “We miss her every day. This challenge is nothing compared to what she went through, and we want to raise awareness and help others facing this devastating diagnosis.”