A mother who died of cervical cancer after bungling doctors wrongly said her smear test was normal would have been cured if there hadn’t been a 15-month delay in diagnosing the disease, a hospital has admitted.
Kerry Pugh, from Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, went to hospital for a cervical screening after years of experiencing tell-tale symptoms – including bleeding.
The mother-of-three was told her results were normal – despite the smear having shown several cell changes.
Around 18 months later, Mrs Pugh’s symptoms got worse and she suffered irregular bleeding and pain in her coccyx.
Tests devastatingly revealed she had stage four cancer, with an MRI scan showing that she had a large invasive tumour the size of a bar of soap.
However it was so large – at 8cm x 5cm x 5cm – that surgery was not an option.
Mrs Pugh had an operation to have a stoma fitted and she underwent a gruelling course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but it was too late.
She died from cervical cancer aged 48 in June 2022.
Mother-of-three Kerry Pugh died aged 48 after a 15-month delay in diagnosing her cancer
Mrs Pugh experienced years of tell-tale symptoms, including bleeding, but medics told her that her smear results were normal
Tests done around 18 months later devastatingly revealed that she had stage four cancer
The mother leaves behind her husband, Stephen Pugh, 47, and three children, Morgan, 26, Lily, 16, and Freddie, 13.
Mr Pugh took legal action against the NHS trust after her death, instructing lawyers to investigate her care.
University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust has admitted a number of failings. Mrs Pugh’s family are now in line for a pay-out.
She was not referred for a specialist examination which would have diagnosed stage one cancer and allowed her to have a potentially life-saving hysterectomy.
The trust admitted a diagnosis by the end of August 2018 would have identified stage one cancer, which on the balance of probabilities, ‘would have been cured’ by radical hysterectomy.
Mr Pugh, who works as a network support engineer, said: ‘Words can’t really capture the level of distress and suffering Kerry endured.
‘For months she knew something wasn’t right, but nothing prepared us for when we were told she had stage four cancer.
‘Her tumour was around the size of a bar of a soap and our immediate thought was that it must have been growing for months to get that big.
L-R: Stephen Pugh, Freddie Pugh, Lily Pugh, Kerry Pugh and Morgan Pugh
Lily and Freddie Pugh at their mother’s headstone. She died after doctors failed to detect her cervical cancer, which was stage four by the time it was found
Mrs Pugh was described as the ‘most loving and caring wife and mum’ who ‘always put her family first’
‘Kerry was the most loving and caring wife and mum. She was selfless and always put her family first.
‘Even while experiencing the most awful pain, she tried to stay positive until the end, especially for the kids.
‘She was more concerned about the children and making sure they were looked after.
‘It was awful watching the beautiful wife I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with slip away in front of me.
‘Kerry meant the world to me and we continue to miss her every single day.
‘While we try and lead as normal a life as possible, our family just isn’t the same without her by our side.
‘Occasions such as birthdays and holidays aren’t the same and we’re still learning to try and cope the best we can.
‘I’d do anything to have Kerry back, but I know that isn’t possible.
‘However, we were determined to at least honour her memory by establishing the answers Kerry would have wanted.’
Mr Pugh added: ‘Kerry always saw the positive in everything, so if by speaking out, I can help save at least one person’s life, Kerry’s death won’t have been totally in vain.
‘While Kerry was let down, other women shouldn’t put off seeking medical help and attending screening appointments. It could be the difference between life and death.’
The mother-of-three attended screening appointments over several years and had previously undergone procedures to remove cells from her cervix.
It had previously been determined that Mrs Pugh had high risk HPV, which can be linked to cancer.
She began to experience symptoms, such as bleeding during sex, in around 2017.
But no definitive cause for the bleeding was determined following hospital checks.
And Mrs Pugh began to experience irregular bleeding the following year.
She attended a routine cervical cancer screening appointment in June 2018.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust admitted Kerry’s June 2018 smear was incorrectly reported as negative.
If the results had been correctly reported Kerry would have been referred for a detailed examination which could have saved her life.
Eleanor Giblin, the medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Mr Pugh, said: ‘This a truly heartbreaking case with Kerry’s death having a profound effect on Stephen and their children.
‘Understandably Stephen has had a number of concerns about Kerry’s diagnosis and whether more could have been done to diagnose her cancer sooner.
‘While nothing can make up for the suffering Kerry had to go through and the pain her loved ones continue to live with, we’re pleased to have at least provided the family with the answers they deserve.
‘While it’s too late for Kerry, it’s vital that lessons are learned from the worrying failings in this case to improve patient safety for others.’
Dr Simon Constable, chief executive at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, said: ‘We have apologised to Mr Pugh and his family that the standard of reporting failed to meet that which the Trust strives to provide.
‘We recognise the importance of learning from mistakes of this nature and while UHNM no longer operates this screening service, we will do all we can to learn from this incident in relation to our wider laboratory services.’
