‘’No one would listen’’ to a 27-year-old dad who ‘’begged’’ the NHS hospital for an MRI scan during the major lockdown earlier this year. His wife believes the hospital is to blame for his death.
A father who ‘begged’ for an MRI scan after the coronavirus outbreak has died of cancer. Sherwin Hall, from West Yorkshire, pleaded with medics in March after suffering from excruciating leg pain.
The 27-year-old dad had over 30 tumours in his body but was incorrectly diagnosed with a swollen prostate gland.
He made 13 trips to the hospital in just four weeks in March but was given antibiotics and sent away repeatedly, reports The Mirror.
Then after finally getting an MRI scan doctors found a 14cm malignant tumour in his pelvis and 30 long tumours on his lungs towards the end of May.
Before his passing, Mr Hall stated: “I kept begging them in April and May to give me an MRI scan, but no-one would listen.
“Both my GP and my consultant told me that I couldn’t get one because scanning services were slowed down because of the coronavirus.”
The widow, LaTroya Hall, who is being supported by the Catch Up With Cancer Campaign, stated: “I am devastated. I have lost the love of my life.
“If Sherwin’s cancer had been found earlier it is likely he would still be here today.
“It worries me that the Government and NHS leaders continue to say cancer services are back to normal.
“Our family’s experience has been that, even now, this is simply not the case.
“Even if services were back at pre-pandemic levels, that is not enough. The cancer backlog also needs to be cleared.
“The Government and NHS leaders need to treat this as the crisis it is and urgently boost services so the NHS can Catch Up With Cancer.”
Mr Hall, originally from Leeds, West Yorks, died earlier in December, right before Christmas.
To tackle the issue of delayed cancer treatments and diagnosis, superstars and NHS staff have launched a Christmas video as part of a campaign urging the Government to increase cancer services.
The movement was started by the parents of beauty therapist Kelly Smith, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, who passed away after her treatment for bowel cancer was stopped because of the pandemic.
Her father Craig Russell stated: “As many of us look to Christmas and the possibility of a vaccine, cancer patients feel like they are being left behind.”
The celebrity and tv star Victoria Derbyshire pleas in the video: “I’m Victoria Derbyshire and all I want for Christmas is for people who’ve noticed changes in their body or noticed unexplained symptoms to go to the doctor’s please.”
Cancer charity MacMillan says the backlog of cancer patients from the major lockdown alone reaches 50,000.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Services said: “Diagnosis and treatment of cancer has remained a priority throughout the pandemic and we urge individuals to come forward if they have symptoms.”
“The NHS is working hard so as many people as possible get the help they need and more than 870,000 people were referred for cancer checks between March and August.
“We’ve given £3 billion to support the NHS in tackling the impact of Covid, including £1 billion to provide extra checks, scans and operations.”
UK & Europe Correspondent