Mexborough woman died after hospital failed to tell her she had cancer

A 48-year woman died after her hospital failed to tell her she had lung cancer for three months after diagnosis.

Rotherham Hospital has paid compensation to the family of the late Lynda Dunn of Mexborough, after Barnsley solicitors Raleys helped the family to pursue a claim of medical negligence.

Chest x-rays in July and early October 2011 both revealed Lynda had lung cancer but it was not until late October, when her condition worsened considerably, that she learned she even had the disease.

By then the cancer had spread to her brain and on November 17, 2011, Lynda died.

Rotherham Hospital admitted that she should have been told of the results of the chest x-ray in July 2011 and that she should have been referred for chemotherapy.

Her family are keen to raise awareness of her case, to ensure the same heartbreak is not experienced by others.

Lynda’s daughter Danielle Dunn said: “Mum should have been told she had cancer months before. By the time she was told, it was too late. We missed out on valuable time we could have spent together as a family.”

Scott Haslam, Solicitor at Raleys Solicitors said: “This is a very sad case but unfortunately it is not the only one of its kind. All too often we are approached by families who have lost a loved one to cancer, only to find that there has been a substantial delay in reaching a diagnosis or commencing treatment.

“Such a delay can often allow a cancer to spread rendering a cure no longer possible.”

For full story see next week’s South Yorkshire Times

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