'We'll learn from this:' Doncaster hospital's apology after man's fatal cancer was missed

Gamil Ali, known as Mali, 45, died after staff at Mexborough's Montagu Hospital missed signs of the cancer on an X-ray.

Now hospital chiefs have apologised and said that lessons will be learned from the tragedy.

Rick Dickinson, Deputy Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “On behalf of the Trust I would like to extend my deepest sympathies and apologies to Mali’s family.

"We have taken the opportunity to learn from this case and our radiologists continue to strive to detect subtle incidental findings on X-rays. We will be writing to Mali’s family shortly.”

Mr Mali's widow Samantha has called for action following her husband's death in November 2013.

Mr Ali had been referred to Montagu for an X-ray after complaining of shoulder pain following a fall from his bike.

Staff found no fractures, however, they failed to pick up a lesion on his right lung and erosion of one of his ribs – signs of his cancer.

Gamil, of Goldthorpe, was diagnosed with terminal cancer nine months later following a further X-ray. He died five months later after the cancer had spread to his brain.

Following his death Samantha, instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the care her husband received at the hands of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Montagu Hospital.

The Trust agreed an out of court settlement to help provide for Samantha, who has spina bifida, and her two children, who Mali was stepfather to.

Samantha said: “Mali was such a loving and caring husband who would do anything for his family.

He was the bedrock of our family. He was great with the children and would do everything around the house.

“To see Mali in so much pain as the cancer took hold was heart-breaking While we know he would not have survived, we are angry that the delays in Mali’s diagnosis meant that we did not get to spend more time together as a family and create more memories we could look back on.

“I just hope that the Hospital Trust realises the hurt that our family continues to live with so other families don’t have to suffer like we are having to.”