Woman's cancer caused menopause aged 15 - now she's become a doctor

Ellie Waters-Barnes graduated from university on Monday07:23, 14 Jul 2026A woman whose rare cancer left her feeling like she was “trapped in an 80-year-old’s body” and enduring early menopause at 15 has achieved her dream of becoming a doctor, graduating from university and landing a hospital job. Ellie Waters-Barnes, now 25, was 14 when she was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer, in 2015.‌Because of the location of the Rhabdomyosarcoma, the chemotherapy and radiotherapy that Ellie received were focused on her pelvic area, causing damage to her reproductive organs. The treatment essentially halted puberty, and when her periods did not return after treatment, it was confirmed that Ellie was experiencing early menopause, was infertile, and that her pubescent developme