'My husband died of cancer because of his accent'

By the clip Hugh Dwyer was diagnosed helium was fixed conscionable 18 months to live

A devastated widow has spoken retired astir her husband’s decease from prostate cancer, and says she wishes the GP had noticed the signs earlier - claiming the signs were missed due to the fact that of her husband's accent. Cynthia Dwyer, 67, a retired elder societal idiosyncratic adjunct from Royal Leamington Spa, says the GP didn’t diagnose her hubby Hugh decently owed to not knowing his accent, and kept sending him distant saying helium indispensable person a urine infection.

“Hugh was a steadfast eating Rastafarian, vegetarian, and kept fit,” Cynthia said. “He was enjoying life, a existent household antheral and an astonishing hubby and soulmate. Plus helium loved helping members successful the community, from the young to the elderly, particularly wrong the Caribbean community, and helium loved music.

“Prior to Hugh being decently being diagnosed, helium had been going to his GP connected and disconnected for 2 years with 'water problems' oregon 'stoppage of water' arsenic they accidental successful the Caribbean. Because his GP did not recognize him decently owed to his accent, they kept treating him for urine infections.”

Hugh’s symptoms were worsening, and Cynthia was incredibly worried. “Hugh had been connected yearly permission for Christmas and returned backmost to enactment successful the New Year,” she said. “Hugh had been going to his GP with pains successful his little backmost implicit this play and was treated for little backmost strain and was enactment connected ibuprofen.

“In January, Hugh was sent location due to the fact that helium had been violently sick astatine enactment and successful a batch of pain. He saw the GP who enactment him connected stronger painkillers, but thing was touching the pain. So I made an assignment for him to spell backmost to his GP.

“Again, helium was enactment connected stronger painkillers. He was inactive not improving and I started to get acrophobic that it mightiness beryllium thing worse. His parent had died of secondary bosom crab aft being successful remission for 13 years and his begetter had died of pancreatic crab respective years anterior to Hugh being diagnosed.

“I ne'er stated my fears to Hugh due to the fact that I was hoping I was wrong. I had to ringing the GP the pursuing week again, arsenic Hugh was getting nary better. I wanted a 2nd sentiment with the GP whom helium was really registered with.

“But I was told helium couldn't spot his GP until the pursuing week. The receptionist who took my telephone was alternatively rude and had slammed the telephone down connected me. My manager could spot I was upset and erstwhile she asked what was incorrect and I told her she advised maine to ringing back.

“So I did and a truly pleasant receptionist came connected the phone. I explained wherefore I was ringing and asked if Hugh could spot his existent GP. She told maine she would ringing maine backmost astatine lunchtime that day.

“But aft speaking to Hugh's registered GP she rang backmost and advised that we marque an assignment the pursuing time and spot the GP who had seen him before. So the pursuing day, which happened to beryllium Hugh's birthday, I was fixed an assignment for Hugh to spot the GP.

“I went with Hugh and the GP stated that helium wanted to bash a integer rectal examination. When they some came backmost from down the surface the GP informed Hugh and I that his prostate was a spot ample but said that wasn't antithetic for a antheral of his property - helium had conscionable turned 58.

“He besides wanted Hugh to spell and person immoderate humor tests the pursuing day, which helium had done astatine the hospital. By the Friday Hugh rang maine astatine enactment to pass maine that the humor results had travel backmost and the GP wanted to spot him the pursuing week Monday.

“I could not judge however rapidly the humor results had travel back. That play was precise long. Looking backmost present Hugh was a textbook lawsuit of the symptoms for prostate cancer. The lone happening helium did not person was humor successful his urine.”

After an agonising wait, Cynthia and Hugh visited the GP, and were told the devastating quality that Hugh had prostate cancer. “When we went to the GP to get the results, helium thanked maine for coming with Hugh,” Cynthia remembers.

“Then helium stated 'there is nary mode of mincing my words' and stated this 3 times. Hugh had to accidental 'are you saying I person got cancer?' The GP didn't accidental yes oregon no.

“All helium said was helium was going to marque a referral to spot a specializer and this could instrumentality up to 2 months. We near the country and I conscionable broke down successful tears due to the fact that my fears had been proven right. Hugh encouraged maine to halt crying due to the fact that helium was going to combat it.

“Luckily the pursuing time the specializer had a cancellation and rang Hugh to travel and spot him. We saw the specialist, who stated that helium was 110% definite Hugh had prostate cancer. He said helium would request to bash a biopsy to corroborate this arsenic good arsenic to a further trial to cheque it had not gone into his bones.

“The results showed that Hugh had precocious prostate crab and the specializer gave Hugh 18 months. He started Hugh connected hormone attraction earlier helium had the biopsy. Further tests showed Hugh had a lump connected his spine truthful helium had to person radiation and chemotherapy arsenic good arsenic different medications, which were often changed owed to the accelerated mode the crab was progressing.

“Due to bony spread, Hugh fractured his hep and had to person an operation, which meant him staying successful infirmary for longer.” Sadly, Hugh passed distant 17 months aft being diagnosed. Now Cynthia is calling for much consciousness of the condition, arsenic good arsenic accrued prostate crab screening.

"If prostate crab screening was successful spot possibly Hugh would person been diagnosed earlier and mightiness beryllium present today,” she explains. "I privation astatine the clip determination was accusation provided wrong the achromatic community, specified arsenic leaflets successful our likeness, moving with grassroots communities oregon signposting wherever families tin get help. Because of the mistakes that happened astatine Hugh’s GP, Hugh changed to the GP I was at.

“Once there, everything Hugh needed and the enactment was enactment into spot arsenic soon arsenic possible. Because determination was nary enactment successful our section assemblage for the BME assemblage we were referred to the precocious Dr. Rose Thompson, CEO of BME Cancer Communities.
From the enactment we received Hugh and I wanted to acceptable up thing akin wrong our community.

“The Hugh Dwyer Inspirational Foundation was acceptable up to enactment families from the BME Communities."