Michael Donnelly died at 53 last April – his family believe he could have been spared a “horrific” death if his cancer had been caught sooner.
Bearpark granddad Michael Donnelly, who died at 53 in April 2024(Image: ChronicleLive / Handout)
More than a year from the death of a “fun-loving” County Durham granddad, his widow is still fighting for justice over signs of cancer she believes were “missed” on a lung scan three years earlier. Michael Donnelly, who died at 53 in April last year, had been “back and forward” to the GP “loads” in late 2021 but was “brushed off”.
Eventually, he was referred for a chest x-ray at the University Hospital of North Durham. But, despite a “shadow” being spotted on his lung, this was dismissed as “old scar tissue”. Nothing was done until Michael collapsed in August 2023 and was rushed to hospital.
By early September that year, he was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer – and it had spread aggressively. He was told he had just months to live.
Looking back, Pamela Donnelly, of Bearpark, is convinced that if that shadow had not been dismissed Michael’s horrific cancer diagnosis could have been years earlier. She said that Michael’s death had been “horrific” and he was put through prolonged suffering by the heartbreaking disease.
Pamela has also hit out at a “total lack of support” in the months following Michael’s diagnosis, too. Saying that the family had serious issues with nursing staff, saw the wrong prescriptions given, and even couldn’t get help to move Michael downstairs from his bedroom so he could spend his final days in the living room “making memories” with his grandchildren.
Bearpark granddad Michael Donnelly, who died at 53 in April 2024(Image: ChronicleLive / Handout)
In that case, family had to move Michael on to a dining chair and move him “stair by stair in agonising pain”. Not long afterwards, on April 21, Michael died.
This was just months after he had been diagnosed – in September of the year before. By the time Michael collapsed in August 2023, his cancer had spread around his body – even to his pituitary gland which is extremely rare – and he was told it was terminal.
Pamela told ChronicleLive: “If they had caught it sooner, i’m not saying there would have been a different outcome, but it could have been kinder. They could have caught it sooner and it might not have travelled all the way to his brain.
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“He was an absolutely amazing man. Fun loving, he loved his grandkids. He was a massive NUFC fan with many friends and was always so loved. He just said ‘tell my story’. It feels like they have closed ranks and think I will go away quietly.”
Pamela recalled how in 2021 Michael had started to struggle massively with an unusual cough. She said: “Michael had started to come down with a cough. Yes, he was a smoker but this cough was different. He couldn’t sleep or eat without coughing. The family GP has been the family GP for a long time. We were back and forwards loads and he was trying to stop smoking.”
But eventually, after persisting, they were able to access a chest X-ray. And at that stage, the outline of an issue became clear.
Michael Donnelly and wife Pamela on their wedding day(Image: ChronicleLive / Handout)
Pamela continued: “Eventually we went to UND for a chest X-ray. It was straight out of the X-ray to get an MRI. There was a shadow. But the technician said it was fine – they believed it was older scar tissue.”
She said: “They told him he had terminal cancer and three months to live. It had all been missed.” Throughout Michael’s care, the family felt that they ran up against barriers and mistakes. Pamela added: “There were occasions where I was given the wrong prescriptions for him – 25 micrograms rather than 100. We had so many issues with district nurses.
“Not being able to get medication, demanding I went to get medication even though I couldn’t go out of the house and leave him. I got no help, no support.”
At the end of his life, Pamela said the situation became horrific – she said that the pain Michael was in as he died has left her with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. Getting Michael downstairs at the end of his life was another trauma.
She said: “He wanted to be downstairs. He had 17 grandkids and he knew it was his last time. We rang the hospital, the nurses everyone for help to get him downstairs. For me, it’s just the number of mistakes, the world should know., When he died it was absolutely horrific.”
A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has said: “We understand the concerns raised by Mr Donnelly’s family, and our thoughts remain with them at this very difficult time. We are sincerely sorry for the distress they have experienced.
“We have been carefully reviewing all aspects of care in this case and continue to work closely and sensitively with the family throughout this process. While we are unable to share specific details due to patient confidentiality, we can confirm that the concerns raised have been fully considered as part of a formal review, and we remain committed to ensuring the highest standards of patient care and safety.”
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