Mum died within weeks of shock cancer diagnosis
A MUCH-LOVED mum and ‘allround lovely person’ died within 30 days of being diagnosed with a type of blood cancer.
Wendy Conboy, 52, first visited doctors complaining of a six-week cough in early March last year.
Medics believed she was suffering with a chest infection and prescribed her antibiotics.
After failing to respond to the medication, Wendy contacted doctors again on April 22.
She was then diagnosed with a viral infection.
Her condition deteriorated and she was forced to contact her GP practice once more on May 1.
Doctors became so concerned she had not responded to treatment they referred her for an X-ray a few days later.
There, mum-of-one Wendy, from Wigan, received the earth-shattering news she had a lymphoma in her chest.
Bolton Coroner’s Court heard how following a number of tests, the cancer was confirmed to be an aggressive and fast-growing b-celllymphoma, measuring 17cm x 14cm x 8cm.
Wendy, who worked as a teaching assistant at the time of her death, started her first round of chemotherapy at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan on June 2.
She had her second phase a few days later.
Tragically, she failed to respond to the treatment and died on June 7.
Her devastated husband, Alan Conboy, said Wendy was born in St Helens and raised in Haydock.
She had worked at Barclays Bank before becoming a teaching assistant and enjoyed singing and baking.
Speaking at the inquest, Chris Gregory, consultant pathologist at the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Her disease showed no signs of responding and deteriorated very quickly to the point where there was no return.
“She died within 30 days of diagnosis.”
When asked whether starting chemotherapy treatment earlier may have saved her, he added: “Because of the nature of this lymphoma, things respond quickly or not at all. If the chemo would have been given sooner, she would have lived a little longer, but not that much longer. This has shown itself to be a very resistant tumour.”
Area coroner for Bolton, Alan Walsh, found no evidence or neglect throughout Wendy’s medical treatment.
He said: “She was a lady who had a happy family, a happy marriage and was someone who kept fit and healthy. Your wife was 52 years of age. She was a lady who had many interests, but her main interest I am sure was her family. She was lucky to have such a supportive family. She will be truly missed by you.
“Diseases that grow rapidly are difficult to understand, I understand for you it’s enormously difficult to understand.”
Speaking after the inquest, Wendy’s daughter, Lydia, said: “She will be greatly missed by all. She was the most caring woman you could ever meet.”
Mr Walsh concluded that Wendy, of Greenway, Ashton-in-Makerfield, died of natural causes.