An 11-year-old girl in the UK was diagnosed with Stage 4 Burkitt lymphoma, an aggressive childhood cancer, after her symptoms were initially attributed to tonsillitis and a viral infection.
Armaie Burrows-Pitt, known to her family as Melly, began experiencing extreme tiredness and a loss of appetite during a family vacation in Devon, England, in May. General practitioners initially advised her mother, Nikki, and stepdad, Andy, that Armaie had tonsillitis and prescribed antibiotics, stating she was healthy. However, her condition did not improve.
Nikki took Armaie to Warwick Hospital, where further tests were conducted due to concerns about potential sepsis, tuberculosis, or an infection from a previous trip to Egypt. After 15 days at Warwick Hospital, Armaie was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. There, doctors diagnosed her with Burkitt lymphoma on July 3. The disease had spread to her spleen, liver, and bone marrow, classifying it as Stage 4.
Burkitt lymphoma is a rare, fast-growing non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects white blood cells, specifically B-cells. It is known to multiply rapidly and can spread throughout the body.
Nikki Burrows-Pitt expressed frustration with the initial medical assessments, noting that her daughter, a gymnast, was usually energetic but became virtually bed-bound and unable to eat. She stated that multiple GPs reassured her Armaie was fine, despite her visible decline. The family recalls initial symptoms included neck pain, later followed by pain in her shin and groin, which were initially thought to be related to a gymnastics injury or viral infection.
"It was very frustrating because every single GP I saw kept saying she was fine," Nikki said. "She’s never seen a doctor in her life and has never been to a hospital, I knew she wasn’t right."
Armaie is currently undergoing six months of chemotherapy. Her aunt, Emma Whyte, has initiated a fundraising campaign to support the family during this period and to give back to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.
The fundraising goal, initially set at approximately $675, has neared $12,150, with the family planning trips for Armaie, including to Disney World Florida and Lapland, as well as donating to the medical facilities.