One of the worst pieces of news that any woman can receive, is that she’s got breast cancer!

Just a week ago, on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, those were the words my wife Kathleen heard. You can imagine how she felt! But there’s more to this story – a medical blunder.

Last summer, she noticed a lump on her left breast. She decided to make an appointment and visit her local GP to get her opinion. The Doctor referred her to our local hospital, where she underwent a mammogram. On two separate occasions after tests, she was told she was clear.

However, last week, she received information to return to the hospital for further tests. It was discovered that the original examination and tests were incorrect. The Doctor performing the tests had got it drastically wrong.

Last weeks examination showed that indeed my wife has breast cancer, and we are now awaiting the results as of this writing.

Just this week she’s noticed that her left breast is beginning to waste away, and the stress is showing. Sleepless nights, and wondering what the end result is going to be.

How can medical professionals who are supposed to be trained in such matters miss something as important as this?

We’ve since learned from a telephone call last Friday from the hospital, that the Doctor who conducted the original tests is no longer on the team! It’s said that he’s under investigation regarding the issue. I wonder how many other blunders he’s made.

Kathleen’s feelings are mixed between fear and anger at such a major medical mistake. Once I have further details about her condition, and more knowledge of what exactly is happening with the person who conducted the original tests, I’ll be writing a formal complaint to the Chief Executive of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust here in Chorley. If I get no satisfying results there, then I’ll be taking the matter further with the UK’s Health Services Ombudsman in London.

I plan to apply as much pressure as I can to highlight the wrong that has taken place here on such a serious issue – my wife’s health – and that such errors should be dealt with swiftly, and that the person who has made the blunder be dealt with in the severest way possible!

How would you feel if this were an issue that touched your family, and someone you’d being with for many years? Fearful, angry, outraged?

My voice is only one voice in this matter. What if I could amplify that voice with many others – yours too perhaps?

Would you help me to apply as much pressure as possible on the hospital for allowing such an error, or for even employing someone who could make such an error and be in such a position of trust?

Too often in life we let things pass. Unfortunately, this is one issue that has to be met head-on.

If you would like to help me and express your feelings over this matter, and just to show that there are still some caring people in this world, please put it in writing and send your letter to the following address:

Chief Executive
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Chorley & South Ribble Hospital
Preston Road
CHORLEY
Lancashire
PR7 1PP
United Kingdom

or you can Fax to + 44 (0)1257 245495

In addition to this, I’ll be organizing some fund-raising to help make Kathleen’s life as comfortable as possible.

Donations of any amount can be made here:

If you have any comments leave them here. If you do decide to write, let me know then I can see how much pressure is being applied. Thank you.