Mum dies after doctors thought she had IBS and missed warning signs of cancer
A mum tragically died after doctors misdiagnosed her stomach pain for IBS - but years later she was told she had bowel cancer.
Helen Dutton, who passed away at the age of 40, first raised the alarm about her abdominal cramps and bleeding to her GP in October 2016. But the mum, from Droylsden, was advised that she was "likely" experiencing Irritable bowel syndrome.
Her diagnosis came after blood tests suggested that she had low B12 levels but no other issues. She was not investigated further for her condition. However, in September 2018, she re-visited the doctors after experiencing back pain, bloating, and bowel urgency.
Helen was finally referred for a colonoscopy and underwent further tests, where medics identified a tumour and diagnosed her with bowel cancer in January 2019. Helen, mum to Lilli-Mai now aged 17, started radiotherapy and chemotherapy and had surgery which left her with a permanent stoma.
Helen leaves behind her partner and teenage daughter (Family handout/Irwin Mitchell)In August 2020, the family received the devastating news that Helen's cancer had returned. Helen, a finance manager, had yet more chemotherapy, but the cancer was found to have spread. The mum-of-one died in hospital in August 2021, reports Manchester Evening News.
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Helen's partner, Darren Rosheski, says the family has been left with 'so many unanswered questions' about whether her cancer could have been spotted earlier. The 52-year-old tradesman said: "Helen had struggled with her bowels for a while but when she was told it was likely to be IBS, we trusted the professionals. To then be given the news that she had cancer was a huge shock.
“Helen and I had been together for almost 20 years and I couldn’t imagine not spending the rest of my life with her. She was determined to fight the cancer with everything she had. Sadly, it wasn’t enough and our beloved Helen was taken from us far too soon. She was the best mum to Lilli-Mai and to see our daughter having to navigate through life without her mum is heart-breaking
“We have so many unanswered questions and while we would give anything to have Helen back, we know that’s not possible. All we can hope for now is that by sharing our story, we can raise awareness of bowel cancer and its symptoms.
"Watching Helen suffer towards the end was unbearable and catching the disease early could be the difference between life and death. If we can save another person by speaking out, it will have been worth it.”
After Helen was told her cancer had spread, she instructed lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate her care and see if the disease could have been found sooner. Following her death, Darren has continued her case.
Nicola Ashton, the specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Darren, said: “The last two-and-a-half years have been incredibly difficult for Helen’s loved ones, particularly Darren and their daughter Lilli-Mai, who have understandably been struggling to come to terms with losing their mum and partner at such a young age.
“Their grief has been made worse by questions and concerns they have over the care provided to Helen. We’re now investigating whether more could have been done to help her. The family also hope that by sharing Helen’s story, they can make others aware of the signs to look out for when it comes to bowel cancer. Early detection and treatment is key to beating this disease.”
Signs and symptoms of bowel cancer include a persistent and unexplained change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, extreme tiredness for no obvious reason, bleeding, a pain or lump in your tummy.
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