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Identical twin of teenager with rare form of cancer says she gets the same pain as  her sister - but is completely healthy

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The twin of a teenage girl with a rare form of cancer has revealed how she gets the same pains as he sick sister, despite being completely healthy.

Sophie Walker, 17, was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in October 2017.

Strangely, her twin sister, Megan, also suffered from similar symptoms - including back pain in the same location as Sophie's tumour - despite not having the disease herself.

Since then, Sophie has been given the all-clear three times but the cancer has always returned.

Now the NHS has said they can't offer any more treatments and there are no clinical trials she can currently access.

Sophie Walker (LEFT), 17, was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in October 2017

Sophie Walker (LEFT), 17, was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, in October 2017

Strangely, her twin sister, Megan (RIGHT), also suffered from similar symptoms - including back pain in the same location as Sophie's tumour - despite not having the disease herself

Strangely, her twin sister, Megan (RIGHT), also suffered from similar symptoms - including back pain in the same location as Sophie's tumour - despite not having the disease herself

Their parents, Rebecca, 44, and Jamie Walker, 45 - along with Sophie's nine siblings - are fundraising for groundbreaking treatment abroad. 

Rebecca, who runs a hostel with husband Jamie, from Edinburgh, Scotland, said: 'Looking at Sophie and Megan, they're so close, they're almost in-sync - it's like one person split into two people.

'How would Megan ever have a life without Sophie? We're not just worried about Sophie but about Megan as well.

'The treatment in Germany costs £4,000  per tumour so for both tumours plus expenses that's £10,000 per month - then her high-dose vitamin C is £2,000 so we're looking at £13,000 per month just on treatments.

'We've got enough to go back to Germany maybe one more time, it worries me that we might not be able to raise the funds.'

Sophie's parents, Rebecca, 44, and Jamie Walker, 45 - along with Sophie's nine siblings - are fundraising for groundbreaking treatment abroad

Sophie's parents, Rebecca, 44, and Jamie Walker, 45 - along with Sophie's nine siblings - are fundraising for groundbreaking treatment abroad

What is a Wilms tumour? 

A form of kidney cancer that affects around 70 children in the UK each year.

It most often develops in youngsters below the age of five.

Wilms' tumours, also known as nephroblastomas, begins to develop when a baby is still growing inside their mother.

However, it may not cause any symptoms until a few years after the child is born.

They are most common in children under five but can appear in older children and adults on rare occasions.

Wilms' tumours usually only affect one kidney (unilateral) but in about seven out of every 100 children it can affect both (bilateral).

Most Wilms' tumours are quite large when they are found - very often much bigger than the kidney itself.

Fortunately, most of them have not spread to other parts of the body.

The most common symptom is a swelling in the abdomen, which is usually painless.

Occasionally, the tumour may bleed slightly and this can cause irritation in the area of the kidney, which may be painful.

Children with the condition may have blood in their urine, or their blood pressure may be raised.

The child may also have a fever, upset stomach, weight loss or a lack of appetite.

They hope to take Sophie to Germany for trans arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) treatment to shrink the tumours and then to America for immunotherapy - and have raised £78,000 of the £350,000 needed.

Sophie has previously been to Germany for the treatment once, but needs to make multiple trips for it to be effective.

Over the last seven years Sophie has tried all options available on the NHS and has been told there is nothing more they can do.

But a clinic in Germany has offered a groundbreaking new treatment which applies chemotherapy directly to the tumour via blood vessels.

And if they're able to reduce the size of the tumour enough for Sophie to safely fly, the family are hoping to take her to America for an immunotherapy treatment in California.

Rebecca, who runs a hostel with husband Jamie, from Edinburgh, Scotland, said: 'Looking at Sophie and Megan, they're so close, they're almost in-sync - it's like one person split into two people

Rebecca, who runs a hostel with husband Jamie, from Edinburgh, Scotland, said: 'Looking at Sophie and Megan, they're so close, they're almost in-sync - it's like one person split into two people

In the meantime, Sophie and friends visited Disneyland Paris in January and she continues to receive blood and platelet transfusions with the NHS which keep Sophie's platelet levels up.

'[After the treatment in Germany] I can feel her back tumour has shrunk down a lot,' said Rebecca.

'Our plan was to shrink them down enough in Germany so we could fly to America.

'When she had the tumours removed last year we had a piece sent to Canada.

'It is being tested to see if any medications can be used and which chemotherapies the tumour is sensitive to.

'Once we find out which immunotherapies her tumour is sensitive to, we can go to California for immunotherapy to help her body recognise the tumours.

'In Disneyland she was like any average 17-year-old, she's a big Star Wars fan and bought lightsabers.

'She got to be a normal teenager - it was so nice to just watch her being normal.'

Sophie's treatment fundraiser can be found here.

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