Home / Health / Teen's Death Fuels Call for Pediatric Cancer Law
Teen's Death Fuels Call for Pediatric Cancer Law
5 Feb
Summary
- Isla Sneddon, 17, died from breast cancer six months after diagnosis.
- Parents allege GP referral was downgraded due to her age.
- Family campaigns for 'Isla's Law' for equal pediatric treatment.
A Scottish family is advocating for legislative change following the death of their 17-year-old daughter, Isla Sneddon, from breast cancer in March 2026. Isla was diagnosed in September 2024 with a rare sarcoma that had spread to her lungs and lymph nodes. Her parents, Mark and Michelle Sneddon, believe her condition went undetected for too long because her initial urgent referral from a GP in July 2022 was downgraded to routine due to her age.
Despite being told by her GP that a breast lump was likely benign hormonal changes, Isla's health declined over two years. After her late diagnosis, oncologists gave her six months to a year to live. The family endured six months of chemotherapy before Isla passed away in their arms in March 2026. They argue that if Isla had been treated as an adult, her cancer might have been caught earlier, potentially saving her life.
