Stacey Stephenson, a 19 year old teenager died of stomach cancer after being repeatedly told by doctors that she only had indigestion.

Stacey’s cancer was finally diagnosed correctly by a Greek doctor while she was holidaying at Crete. Stacey immediately returned to England for her treatment but she succumbed to stomach cancer, earlier this month.

Earlier this June, Miss Stephenson, who was a loan adviser, usually complained about feeling sick and failed to keep her food down. Wasting no time she went to her doctor, who prescribed her some medicines for the indigestion. But the problems continued to grow. So she again went to her doctor after two weeks. But again the doctor told her that it was a problem of indigestion and prescribed her the same course. Soon, her stomach started to swell. Her worried mother immediately called NHS Direct. They advised her to take Stacey to a hospital. But that didn’t end the pain. After another week, the pain was so strong that she again went to her doctor who then advised her to go for a blood test. But Stacey has to leave for Crete the next day with four of her friends.

It was the second week during her stay at Crete, when the pain worsened. She was immediately admitted to the Greek hospital.

Stacey’s mother said: “We were called by a Greek doctor who said we had to fly over there straight away. I couldn’t quite understand what was happening but Malcolm and I caught a flight and got there quick. We were called on the same day as Stacey’s sister, Lindsey, told us she was pregnant. My emotions went from one extreme to another in one day.” Mr Lowther, 43, said: “An X-ray showed a tumor in her stomach and that was why she was feeling sick and couldn’t hold her food down. A doctor from Athens escorted us home on the flight and an ambulance was waiting at Newcastle Airport to take us to the Freeman Hospital.”

Soon after a week Miss Stephenson was moved to Royal Victoria Infirmary teenage cancer unit, as she showed no signs of any improvement. Stacey’s stepfather said ‘Stacey started chemotherapy but her body was so weak that she was rushed into the intensive care unit where she was put on a ventilator. Eventually her kidneys failed.’

Soon Stacey died, surrounded by family members and friends.

Her mother said “It happened so quickly. She can’t believe that Stacey is gone.” She also added: “She was a beautiful person - in looks and her manner.”

No doctors from Newcastle General Hospital or the health trust was available for comment yesterday.

Miss Stacey Stephenson will be buried alongside her father, Brian, who died of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 33 in 1993.

Rosemont Mayor Donald E. Stephens is one of the nation’s longest-serving mayors. Stephens, 78, announced on Thursday, that he has undergone surgery for stomach cancer and hopes to return to work soon. Doctors operated on Stephens in May at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

The northwest suburban mayor said he finished radiation treatments about two weeks ago and anticipates a full recovery. Stephens’s condition has been kept as a secret. He has had a series of health issues in the last nine months. Last December, he underwent triple-bypass surgery. In May, he missed his village’s 50th anniversary gala because of another health problem before his cancer surgery.

“I’m tired. The radiation knocks the socks out of you,” Stephens said. “Other than that, I’m doing just fine.” “I just didn’t want all this sympathy,” Stephens explained when asked why his condition was kept secret.