Firm apologises for scan ‘tragedy’
Judith Holswich dons oxygen constantly to help her breathe, but life is becoming an increasing struggle. The 55-year-old Taranaki woman is dying of lung cancer, which was left to progress unchecked for three years after a radiologist failed to act on her abnormal CT scan.
The ex-smoker, who quit about 15 years ago, was working as a mental health support worker when she noticed in 2010 that she was short of breath when walking up people’s drives for home visits.
It worried her so she visited her GP, who sent her for a CT scan. The results showed an ominous shadow on her right lung, but the radiologist reassured her, saying it was common for ex-smokers and nothing to worry about.
‘‘I have never had cancer before so I took his word for it.’’ A move she now regrets. Instead, she wished she sought a second opinion. Time passed and she gave up work along with plans to sit her mental health certificate because her breathing became so bad, but cancer didn’t cross her mind.
In 2013, she finally returned to her GP and was sent for a repeat CT scan, which diagnosed lung cancer. In the intervening three years, it had spread into lymph glands in her chest and neck, and was terminal.
‘‘Back in 2010, I could have had the tumour removed from my lung. Now it’s too late.’’ While trying to stay positive for the sake of husband David and the eight children they share between them, Holswich said she was angry that the radiologist’s failures would rob her of life. ‘‘People ask me how I feel. I don’t know how I feel. Really annoyed, more than anything.
‘‘If they had done their job right, I wouldn’t be here now.’’
Fulford Radiology Services, which was contracted to do radiology tests for Taranaki District Health Board, has begun an audit of all the work by the radiologist who missed Holswich’s cancer, covering a period from 2008-12.
Fulford board chairwoman Flora Gilkison said the radiologist, who died in 2012, had an excellent reputation and his early intervention saved many Taranaki people from amputation. ‘‘Every clinician has mistakes.’’ She was ‘‘desperately sorry’’ for the impact of the error on Holswich. ‘‘It’s a tragedy for her.’’