Parents of missed cancer victim want HSE apology

THE PARENTS of Kilrush cancer victim Edel Kelly (26) yesterday demanded the Health Service Executive (HSE) apologise for failing to diagnose their daughter's cancer in 2006.

The mother of two young boys, Jack (6) and Lee (3) died last June. The family's solicitor Eugene O'Kelly told a press conference in Kilrush yesterday that the failure by Ennis General Hospital to diagnose Edel with breast cancer in 2006 had robbed her of one year of treatment.

At the press conference Edel's mother Una said: "An apology won't bring Edel back, but we feel that they should apologise. We want to change the system that is there at the moment."

The parents confirmed they are now seeking a meeting with HSE chief executive Dr Brendan Drumm to press their demand for an independent inquiry into Edel's case.

Flanked by her husband John, and Edel's partner Noel McGreene, Una Kelly said: "I'm angry that a grieving family should have to sit here and do this when an independent inquiry should be automatically established."

It is only 11 days since the first misdiagnosis of the late Ann Moriarty at Ennis General Hospital was confirmed and Mrs Kelly said: "They (the HSE) should have been honest and told the public what had happened and that there could be other cases instead of denying it." Mrs Kelly said by calling for the independent inquiry "we want to carry on what Edel started. We want to prevent this from happening to someone else.

"We were very shocked over Ann Moriarty and the fact that the HSE was saying that it was a one-off case and we knew it wasn't."

Mr Kelly said that he believes that there are other similar cases. "I think more people will come out now, I wish people who have had any problems should come out now and say it for everyone's sake."

Una Kelly said that when Edel was told that she had cancer "she was devastated. But she was very, very strong and she fought it all the way. Edel knew the seriousness of her condition, but she never gave up and somewhere in her mind, she thought that she could beat it."

Mr O'Kelly said that the family intends that "those who are accountable should be made accountable".

"The concern that Edel had was that her two children would be looked after. Unfortunately, they now have no opportunity of knowing their mother in any meaningful way.

"Our system is quite crude, financial compensation is the only method that the system provides. And we have to take an action in order to establish their rights," Mr O'Kelly said. "In the time Edel had left, she wanted to see what went wrong and who was responsible.

"She wasn't blaming anyone because she had cancer, but she was cross because she had been told that there had been a misdiagnosis and she wanted it investigated."

Edel Kelly first noticed a lump on her left breast in July 2006 and went to Ennis General and Limerick Regional hospital for tests.

However, it was not until October 2007 that cancer was diagnosed, by which time it had spread to her liver and bones.

The husband of the late Ann Moriarty, Karl Henry said last night that the latest cancer misdiagnosis at Ennis General "is further evidence of a hospital in crisis".

"I'm shocked, saddened, but not particularly surprised by the misdiagnosis of Edel Kelly's cancer at Ennis General Hospital." Mr Henry's wife died last April after having her cancer misdiagnosed at Ennis General Hospital and St James's Hospital in Dublin.

Last night, the Health Information and Equality Authority confirmed that it has sought a briefing from the HSE on the case of the late Edel Kelly.

Fine Gael Health spokesman, James Reilly said that an independent inquiry into the cases of misdiagnosis at Ennis hospital is essential.