Heartbroken Husband Hopes For Answers At Inquest Into Wife’s “Mystery” Fatal Illness

A heartbroken husband hopes for answers at an inquest today into his wife’s “mystery” fatal illness.

Gayna Ward, 37, from Boston, Lincolnshire died on June 8, 2013 following a cardiac arrest at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

Widower, Philip, is hoping for answers when an inquest into Gayna’s death is held this month and has instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers Irwin Mitchell to investigate the cause of his wife’s death.

Gayna’s death came seven years after she underwent a Whipple’s procedure at Leicester General Hospital after being diagnosed with cancer of the gallbladder. During the operation the surgeon removed the head of the pancreas, the gallbladder, part of the duodenum - the uppermost portion of the small intestine - a small portion of the stomach and the lymph nodes near the head of the pancreas.

But Philip said his wife, never recovered from the surgery but instead continued to deteriorate and spent years in severe pain suffering from continuous vomiting, acid reflux, swollen legs, incontinence, disorientation and instability. 

“We always believed Gayna had cancer,” he said. “That’s what she said when she first got the diagnosis, and that is how we always approached her illness. She thought the surgery had cured her and saved her life.

“To find out only after she died that she didn’t actually have cancer, has just compounded our grief and three years later still nobody has been able to tell us why she died.

“Gayna was a vibrant woman, full of life. She loved nothing more than going on adventures with our family and was incredibly close with both her family and mine. Seeing her deteriorate as she did has left us all heartbroken.                                                                                                 

“We just need to know what happened to Gayna and it’s our greatest hope that the inquest will provide us with answers.”

The inquest into Gayna’s death will be held at Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court sitting at Stamford Town Hall in Lincolnshire at 9.30am on June 15, 2016, and is expected to last two days.

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of cancer misdiagnosis, we may be able to help you claim compensation. See our Medical Negligence Guide for more information.