'I'm still seeking answers after my mother died with undiagnosed lung cancer'

A daughter says she will not rest until she has answers after her mother died with lung cancer that had gone undiagnosed. Christine Joyce Medforth died age 69 at Hull Royal Infirmary , with her cause of death initially recorded as pneumonia, with secondary causes of pancreatic cancer and schizophrenia. Her daughter, Caroline Medforth, later challenged the cause of death.

Metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung was found with multiple 1cm nodules in the lower portion of her lungs, according to a subsequent coroner's report. Christine's cause of death was then recorded as bronchopneumonia, with a secondary cause of metastatic lung cancer. Caroline has questioned why her mother was not diagnosed with lung cancer before her death, despite her declining health and having more than ten chest X-Rays between July 2020 and August 2023.



One chest X-Ray was conducted on August 16, 2023, just nine days before Christine's death on August 25. Caroline said: "I challenged the death certificate because I did not believe it to be pancreatic cancer and am absolutely devastated that cancer was not detected when the hospital had opportunity upon opportunity to locate this. "My gut instinct told me it wasn't true about the pancreatic cancer as my mum showed no symptoms at all and if I didn't ask for a postmortem at the registry office, I would have gone my whole life thinking she died of something she didn't.

"I received the post-mortem report at the end of January 2024. One of its findings was that my mum’s liver was enlarged. It says that my mum had been treated in hospital for hypoactive delirium and a chest infection, and had died of Bronchopneumonia & Metastatic lung cancer.

"I found re-registering my mum’s death with a completely different diagnosis was traumatic and heartbreaking. Everything feels so raw, but this just made me feel worse than before." Paying tribute to her mother, Caroline said: "To explain just how much my mam meant to me is an impossible task but she was one of the strongest, bravest, and kindest people I have ever met.

"Without her, I wouldn't be the person I am. She meant everything to me and played such an important part in mine and my family’s life. Her fun loving ways and zest for life was infectious.

"The way she liked socialising, going out in the evening to play bingo and her passion for being creative by drawing, art work, baking and cooking but most importantly of all, her love for her grandchildren Logan and Skye. "She loved being around them and they loved their sleep overs at hers. My mam was the best mother and grandparent a person could ask for.

She is so very missed by us all and we know she would have loved meeting her new grandchild, Joy. Thank you, mam for everything." In homage to her mother, Caroline named her baby daughter 'Joy' which echoes Christine's middle name, 'Joyce'.

A spokesperson for NHS Humber Health Partnership says: "We are sorry Ms Medforth remains unhappy with the way her concerns have been handled. We believe we have made every reasonable effort to respond to her complaints locally. "Should any complainant remain dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation, they are routinely advised to contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to request a review, as the next stage in the NHS Complaints Procedure.

" Hull Live understands Caroline has now raised a complaint with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, following the advice from PALS. Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from Hull with our free newsletter.