Dad dies from cancer after struggling to get GP appointment for six weeks
07.10.2023 - 13:27
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A dad died from cancer after struggling to secure a GP appointment for six weeks.
Kevin Gillett was eventually diagnosed with terminal liver cancer that had metastasised to his blood, lungs, and lymph nodes.
His mum, Odette De Freitas, said Kevin faced difficulties in securing an in-person doctor’s appointment.
By the time he was seen, his condition had deteriorated to the point where he couldn’t retain any food.
The 40-year-old, who lived in Liverpool, was initially given a prognosis of four months, but sadly died much sooner.
Less than a week after his appointment on June 13, tragic Kevin received a call from a nurse instructing him to immediately report to the Royal Liverpool Hospital, reported the Mirror.
Odette said: “He had high calcium levels. I knew straight away it’s indicative of advanced cancer because I’ve had it happen to someone I know.”
Kevin had been feeling unwell since contracting Covid after Christmas. By the end of May, his symptoms had worsened to the point where he couldn’t eat at all and was vomiting.
Odette said: “He’d been feeling quite unwell since having Covid after Christmas but by the end of April, May, he was finding he couldn’t eat at all and was vomiting. Six weeks he was trying to get an appointment.
“I feel like he’s been badly let down by the whole system. I couldn’t knock the nurses. They are amazing. But it’s the whole system - they’re not seeing people and doing tests before it gets to that stage.”
Did you know you can keep up to date with the latest news by signing up to our daily newsletter?
We send a morning and lunchtime newsletter covering the latest headlines every day.
We also send coronavirus updates at 5pm on weekdays, and a round up of the week's must-read stories on Sunday afternoons.