12-Year-Old Girl Who Complained ‘My Stomach Hurts’ Has 8-Pound Tumor Filled With Hair, Teeth, Bones Removed From Stomach

A YOUNG WOMAN complaining of stomach pain was discovered to have an 8-pound tumor full of hair, teeth and bones in her stomach.

Sarah Davis, 42, rushed her 12-year-old daughter Ruby-Mae to Cabarete Medical Center Hospital in the Dominican Republic when she complained of stomach pains.

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The mother – who had moved from the UK – was worried her daughter might be pregnant when doctors examined her “swollen” belly.

However, a scan revealed that Ruby-Mae had a rare type of germ cell tumor called a teratoma, which can contain teeth, hair and bones.

These tumors are usually discovered at birth, but Ruby-Mae’s has been growing undetected for years.

Doctors suspected the tumor had developed when she was in the womb and, fortunately, it was not cancerous.

But it grew so much that it caused the appendix to rupture, which could be fatal.

I think it’s always important to listen to your kids and trust your gut when something doesn’t feel right

Sara Davis Ruby-Mae’s mother

Ruby-Mae was rushed into surgery to remove the tumor which weighed 8lbs – the same as a newborn baby.

She recovered well from the surgery and Sarah hopes to raise awareness among other parents.

‘PERFECTLY HEALTHY’

Sarah, a teacher originally from Nottingham, UK, said: “It was so scary when I rushed her to hospital.

“I knew she wasn’t sexually active yet, but it still crossed my mind.

“When I looked at her swollen belly in the hospital, I said, ‘Is there anything you want to tell me?’ “I just couldn’t believe she had a tumor all these years.

“We had absolutely no idea or warning about this.”

Ruby-Mae was a “perfectly healthy” child, with no symptoms that led to the discovery.

In September 2019, when she was 12, Ruby-Mae went to her mother complaining that she “had a stomach ache”.

Sarah said: “She asked me, ‘Is this appendicitis?’ “And I said she would be in agony, so that’s not it.

“She had just gotten her period, so I thought it was related to that.

“I gave her some pain relief and she seemed fine for the rest of the day.”

The next morning, Ruby-Mae woke up complaining that the pain had returned and was much worse.

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Worried, Sarah, who moved to the Dominican Republic six years ago, took her daughter to the emergency room for a check-up.

During a CT scan, the nurse detected some type of mass and Ruby-Mae was sent for a CT scan of her stomach.

INTERNAL DAMAGE

It was then that doctors diagnosed her with the rare teratoma tumor that had likely been growing since she was in the womb.

“About five or six doctors from different departments would come looking,” Sarah said.

“As soon as you hear the word tumor, you start to panic.

“But the doctors assured us this one was not cancerous.”

Despite being benign, the size of the tumor caused internal damage to Ruby-Mae.

It had grown so much that it was pressing on her appendix and causing it to rupture, which can spread the infection throughout her body and is potentially fatal.

‘SO RARE AND UNUSUAL’

The girl was rushed to surgery, where they made a vertical incision above her belly button and down to her belly.

Surgeons had to remove the appendix and the tumor – which weighed 8 pounds.

Sarah said: “It was very scary but she was brave.

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“We thought she would be in hospital for weeks, but she recovered very quickly.

“She woke up walking 12 hours later and was able to return home after a few days.”

Ruby-Mae, now 16, has recovered well since surgery and has not required further treatment.

Sarah said: “It’s so rare and unusual – I’ve never heard of it before.

“She was left with quite a big scar, but she” I worry if I should have taken her to the hospital sooner – we saved her appendix.

“But we got in just in time.

“I think it’s always important to listen to your kids and trust your gut when something doesn’t feel right.”