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A grieving woman from Ipswich hopes that a new law will create changes in the NHS, after her mum died from a misdiagnosed cancer. Chloe Hickman, 24, has started a Change.org petition, which is calling on the government to implement 'Louise's Law', and currently has 40,000 signatures.
The law would make it mandatory for benign test results to receive a second opinion from a specialist. Currently NHS guidelines recognise that it is a right for patients to seek a second opinion but not a legal one, according to the Patients Association, a charity campaigning for improvements in health and social care. Miss Hickman's mother, Louise Hickman, died in June last year from ovarian cancer.
The tumour was detected five years before by doctors at Ipswich Hospital and was deemed to be benign. Chloe Hickman and her mum Louise (Image: Chloe Hickman/PA Wire) If 'Louise's Law' was in place at the time of the diagnosis in 2019, Miss Hickman believes that her mum would still be alive today. Speaking about if the tumour had been detected as malignant earlier, she said: “She could have been offered chemotherapy, the surgery could have been brought forward, and she might still be here.
“That’s a horrible thought to navigate, and I can’t even begin to start with where my head goes, but if something like that were mandatory. It could save so many lives.” As well as helping others, Miss Hickman hopes the legislation also honours her mum's life, who she described as very strong and independent women.
In 2019, doctors diagnosed a cyst Mrs Hickman had as a cystic teratoma, a common non-cancerous tumour found in the ovaries. Then in April 2022 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and underwent chemotherapy and surgery to remove two fluid-filled sacs with 11 and 19 litres each. She was in remission for six months before relapsing in March last year.
Miss Hickman said: “The reason it had recurred is because this cancer was linked to the 2019 specimen that was malignant at the time. “When she was ill, a lot of her independence was taken away, and that’s quite hard to navigate. It affects your outlook on life, but it also makes you feel a little bit vulnerable.
” Dr Tim Leary, the interim chief medical officer at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Ipswich Hospital, expressed his deepest sympathies to the Hickman family. He said: “We launched a patient safety investigation following the delay of her cancer diagnosis. We have met with her family and shared the outcome of that investigation.
“We understand they still have some concerns and questions. We are listening and our teams will continue to support them further at this very difficult time. “The lessons learned from Louise’s care and treatment will be used to improve our processes and services.
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