Cancer campaigner dies from side effect of trial treatment

Grieving son pays tribute to ‘amazing’ mum and popular hairdresser Matilda

I never wanted to do anything that was troublesome because I was always able to go to my mum and ask her.

SAM LATRONICO

A doting son has said he does not know how he is “going to live” after losing his mum to complications linked to her treatment for cancer.

Sam Latronico, who lives in Perth, said his mum Matilda had died in hospital in Edinburgh on February 29 after experiencing an unexpected side effect while undergoing a trial cancer procedure.

The 27-year-old male model, who lived with his mum and was her primary carer through her illness, said: “She had the most infectious smile.

“That’s the one thing that everybody said whether they met her once or spoke to her regularly.

“She was that cool mum. I never wanted to do anything that was troublesome because I was always able to go to my mum and ask her.

“She has always just been amazing.” Matilda’s funeral, which is open to the public, will be held on Tuesday at 10.30am at Perth Crematorium

The popular hairdresser died aged 56 after campaigning to raise money and awareness around ovarian cancer.

She watched Sam graduate from Abertay University with a degree in ethical hacking last summer and his 31-year-old brother Carlo marry recently.

Sam said the disease had spread to his mum’s brain, and after her symptoms reappeared earlier this year, he asked for her to see a new oncologist.

She agreed to a trial form of chemotherapy that ultimately led to her death from liver failure.

Sam said the family initially thought the treatment had gone well.

“We had all the talks before and we knew the risks and side effects, but that wasn’t a risk that was ever on the cards with the medical profession,” he said.

“The doctors said they had never seen it before. It just baffled everybody.”

Sam recorded an online video along with his mum in July featuring the pair shaving their heads.

The family have set up a Just Giving page at justgiving.com/fundraising/ matildas-journey to raise money for research into ovarian cancer.

A spokesman for NHS Lothian said they did not comment on individual cases.

Sam Latronico with mum Matilda following his graduation from Abertay.