Woman arrested over lie about kidney cancer

A woman has been arrested after organisers of a fundraiser to help with her medical bills became suspicious about her claim that she had kidney cancer.

According to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, in the US state of North Carolina, an investigation into Hannah Leigh Hume started on April 15, and she was taken into custody on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old, who lives in High Point, was charged with felony attempting to obtain property by false pretense.

"The club stated that sometime around the 1st of March they were approached about doing a benefit to help with medical bills for someone who had kidney cancer,” police wrote on Facebook.

“The club members agreed and proceeded with planning a benefit along with a charity ride for June 15, 2019, for Hannah Leigh Hume.

"Recently they became suspicious after speaking with Hume about her medical bills."

Some members of the club, Smoke Souls RC, approached law enforcement officials about the situation. Investigators then interviewed Hume, who admitted that she did not have kidney cancer.

However, Hume did actually battle and beat cancer in 2016, according to news reports from that time. She also chronicled her health battles on her Facebook page.

Hume's sister is also a cancer survivor and both her mother and aunt died of cancer when Hume was young. All four women had the same rare form of ovarian cancer.

The then 18-year-old shared on social media her experiences with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Hume was ultimately released from the Randolph County Detention Centre after a bond of US$5,000 was set.

She is due to appear in court on May 13. If convicted of the felony charge, she will face a prison sentence of four to 25 months.

The charity ride, organised by Smokin Souls RC, will go on as scheduled but will benefit a local musician, Jeff Vaughn, who is battling colon cancer.

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