Delayed Cancer Diagnosis Leads to Traumatic Mastectomy for Mother

Serena Russo, a 54-year-old mother of four residing in Worthing, has disclosed undergoing a traumatic double mastectomy following an eight-month delay in receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. Ms. Russo stated that she discovered a lump in her breast in 2019, but her initial mammogram results were reported as normal. An eight-month period elapsed before further tests, which she requested due to her persistence, revealed a stage two tumor. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSussex) has issued an apology and affirmed its dedication to enhancing patient services. Mrs. Russo recounted receiving a letter after her initial mammogram, which indicated that her results were clear. Nevertheless, she noted that the lump subsequently grew in size, and a biopsy ultimately confirmed it to be cancerous. She stated, “They made me feel silly, worrying, but I wasn’t. I was doing the right thing.” Mrs. Russo and her husband initiated legal proceedings against UHSussex, represented by Hudgell Solicitors. According to the solicitors, the family received a six-figure out-of-court damages settlement in compensation for the trust’s shortcomings. Mark, Mrs. Russo’s husband, commented, “It is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me because I was powerless.” He further explained that due to lockdown restrictions, he could not be present with her for four out of the five treatment sessions. He added, “I sat out in the car park for 25 hours just waiting to take her home.” In a statement provided to the BBC, the trust declared: “We extend our sincere apologies to Mrs Russo and her family and wish her the very best for the future.” The statement continued: “We remain committed to improving services for our patients. We are doing this through increased investment in staff and testing new technologies, to enable faster diagnoses and the highest standards of safety and quality.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.