In the span of just three weeks, Eilish Flanagan took her three-year-old daughter, Aoife, to doctors 11 times — each time pleading for help as her little girl grew weaker and more in pain.
Every time, she was told the same thing:
“It’s just constipation.”
But Eilish knew it was more.
Aoife wasn’t just constipated.
She had a lump near her bottom.
She was losing weight.
She was in agony.
And then, just days after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, Aoife died in her mother’s arms — at just three years old.
Now, Eilish is telling her daughter’s story — not for sympathy, but to save lives.
It started in June 2019, shortly after the family moved to Rayleigh, Essex. Aoife began complaining of stomach pain. At first, it seemed minor. But it didn’t go away.
Over the next three weeks, Eilish brought her daughter to GPs, emergency clinics, and even the ER.
Each time, the diagnosis was the same: poor diet, not enough fiber, maybe a little more exercise.
But Aoife wasn’t sedentary.
She rode her beloved pony, Bubbles, every day.
She helped on the family’s small farm.
She was active, happy, full of life — until she wasn’t.
Still, no one listened.
When Eilish pointed out a lump, it wasn’t examined.
When Aoife’s pain worsened, she was told to adjust her diet again.
“I knew something was wrong,” Eilish said. “But they kept dismissing me.”
By early July, Aoife was admitted to Southend Hospital.
Still, the doctors blamed lifestyle issues.
It wasn’t until an X-ray was finally ordered that the truth came out.
A tumor in her liver was blocking her bowel.
It had been growing for weeks — undetected.
Aoife was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she was diagnosed with germ cell cancer — a rare tumor that, if caught early, often responds well to treatment.
But for Aoife, it was too late.
The cancer had already spread.
“They didn’t give us a fair chance,” Eilish said.
“If they’d listened just once, things might have been different.”
On July 7, 2019, just five days after her diagnosis, Aoife went into cardiac arrest.
Eilish held her daughter as she took her last breath.
“She died in my arms,” she said.
“And in that moment, I knew I couldn’t let her story end there.”
Eilish made a decision:
Aoife’s suffering would not be in vain.
She donated her daughter’s tissue and tumors to cancer research — hoping it would help doctors detect the disease earlier in other children.
Then, she founded Aoife’s Bubbles — the UK’s first and only charity dedicated to raising awareness about germ cell cancer.
Named after Aoife’s favorite pony, the charity educates parents and medical professionals about the early warning signs — signs that were missed in Aoife’s case.
- Stomach pain
- Lumps or swelling
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Constipation (but not just constipation)
“It’s not about blame,” Eilish says.
“It’s about accountability. So no other family has to hear, ‘We should’ve seen this sooner.’”
Aoife was a wild, joyful, kind-hearted little girl who loved Paw Patrol, Queen Elsa, and her pony, Bubbles.
In 2021, her family hosted Aoife’s Enchanted Ball — a Frozen 2-themed fundraiser with 250 guests — to celebrate her life and raise money for the cause.
“A room full of 250 people — all here for you, Aoife,” Eilish wrote.
“I’m humbled. I’m grateful. And I promise — I’ll keep fighting.”
She has.
Through speeches, fundraisers, and relentless advocacy, Eilish ensures her daughter is remembered — not for how she died, but for how she lived.
And for how her mother is now fighting to protect other children…
One voice, one story, one life at a time.