11.01.2015
Kim Major from Ewell in Surrey visited her local GP over a year-long period complaining of reoccurring headaches, lethargy, dizziness, coughing, chest and neck pain, but was told each time that there was nothing to worry about. However in October this year she was given the heart-breaking news that she had terminal cancer which had spread to her brain and throughout her body.
The 48-year-old has now instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the months leading up to her diagnosis and to find out if medical staff could have diagnosed her condition earlier when she made repeated visits to her GP.
Her symptoms continued and she began to have problems with her eyesight, so in early 2014 she went to the opticians for a test and she was advised she should go back to her GP for a full health check, which she did but no investigations were carried out.
In June 2014 Kim visited her GP surgery again as her symptoms hadn’t improved and since March 2014 she had been experiencing abdominal pain. A colonoscopy was arranged and performed in September 2014 the results of which were normal. Later that year in August Kim went to the opticians and was told that her symptoms needed to be urgently reviewed by her GP and they wrote a referral letter. Kim was now experiencing hearing problems and her dizzy spells were more frequent.
Kim’s condition deteriorated and in September 2014 she was rushed to hospital after developing a cough and chest pains and was taken for an x-ray and blood tests. She was told there was a mass on her right lung and would need to be referred to a respiratory specialist. In October, Kim received the devastating news she was suffering from lung cancer.
Kim said: “I could not believe what I was hearing when I was told that I had lung cancer but to make matters worse to that it had been left undiagnosed for so long that it had spread to my lymph nodes and to my brain.
“My family and I are completely traumatized and I feel wholly let down by the NHS. I visited my GP on so many occasions complaining of various symptoms but I was told so many different things and it took them collectively over a YEAR to diagnose my condition.
“I do not know how long I have left but my condition is deteriorating and I am worried for my son who will be left without his mum. I am struggling to come to terms with my diagnosis and what the future has in store for me.
“I hope that with the help from my legal team at Irwin Mitchell that I will be able to find some much needed answers to my questions as to the substandard level of care I received from doctors and health professionals.”
Specialist Medical Negligence Lawyers At Irwin Mitchell Instructed To Investigate Failings
A woman who has been given just months to live after receiving the devastating news she has terminal lung cancer is speaking out for the first time to call for more to be done across the NHS to ensure cancer is spotted earlier.Kim Major from Ewell in Surrey visited her local GP over a year-long period complaining of reoccurring headaches, lethargy, dizziness, coughing, chest and neck pain, but was told each time that there was nothing to worry about. However in October this year she was given the heart-breaking news that she had terminal cancer which had spread to her brain and throughout her body.
The 48-year-old has now instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the months leading up to her diagnosis and to find out if medical staff could have diagnosed her condition earlier when she made repeated visits to her GP.
In November 2013 Kim started to suffer with various symptoms and she tried to make an appointment to see her GP at Fitznells Manor Surgery but was instead given an appointment to see the Practice Nurse where she was told it was likely she just had a virus.Expert Opinion
Kim’s diagnosis has come as a complete shock to her and her family and they are desperately seeking answers as to why her condition was not picked up at an earlier point by the doctors who treated her.
“Delays in promptly diagnosing and treating any type of cancer can have devastating consequences and it is vital that doctors focus on the symptoms and give each patient the best possible care when deciding whether or not it might be cancer.
“In this case we are still in the early stages of our investigation for Kim and her family to get some answers as to what happened during her care.
“There is sadly nothing that can turn back the clock but, this case is about highlighting any potential issues and lessons that can be learnt to hopefully prevent any other families having to go through what Kim and her family are at the moment.”
Richard Kayser - Partner
Her symptoms continued and she began to have problems with her eyesight, so in early 2014 she went to the opticians for a test and she was advised she should go back to her GP for a full health check, which she did but no investigations were carried out.
In June 2014 Kim visited her GP surgery again as her symptoms hadn’t improved and since March 2014 she had been experiencing abdominal pain. A colonoscopy was arranged and performed in September 2014 the results of which were normal. Later that year in August Kim went to the opticians and was told that her symptoms needed to be urgently reviewed by her GP and they wrote a referral letter. Kim was now experiencing hearing problems and her dizzy spells were more frequent.
Kim’s condition deteriorated and in September 2014 she was rushed to hospital after developing a cough and chest pains and was taken for an x-ray and blood tests. She was told there was a mass on her right lung and would need to be referred to a respiratory specialist. In October, Kim received the devastating news she was suffering from lung cancer.
Kim said: “I could not believe what I was hearing when I was told that I had lung cancer but to make matters worse to that it had been left undiagnosed for so long that it had spread to my lymph nodes and to my brain.
“My family and I are completely traumatized and I feel wholly let down by the NHS. I visited my GP on so many occasions complaining of various symptoms but I was told so many different things and it took them collectively over a YEAR to diagnose my condition.
“I do not know how long I have left but my condition is deteriorating and I am worried for my son who will be left without his mum. I am struggling to come to terms with my diagnosis and what the future has in store for me.
“I hope that with the help from my legal team at Irwin Mitchell that I will be able to find some much needed answers to my questions as to the substandard level of care I received from doctors and health professionals.”
If you have suffered due to misdiagnosed lung cancer or a delayed lung cancer diagnosis, our medical negligence lawyers could help you claim compensation. Call 0808 163 4557 for a free initial consultation or see our Cancer Misdiagnosis Claims page for more details.
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