Ex-nurse dies after series of NHS 'let downs' saw cancer left untreated for months

A retired nurse whose was left untreated for several months died after it spread to her organs and became incurable.

Helen Storrie, 71, was left waiting for five months until May 2023 to begin chemotherapy for stage four cancer. When she finally started her treatment, she kept reasonably well for around a year – but the cancer had spread to her vital organs, and she was told more chemotherapy would be futile.

Helen, from Motherwall, , who had worked as an nurse for 40 years, believed the delay in chemotherapy treatment caused her cancer to worsen. The great-gran should have started treatment 31 days from the decision to treat her cancer.

Shortly before her death on Friday she said: “I had 25 letters in the five months I waited, cancelling appointments or changing them. These delays cannot have helped my chances.”

Helen went from being reasonably active to being barely able to shuffle around her fourteenth storey flat. She was left clutching onto her walls and doors to get around from her bedroom to the living room or bathroom.

A spot of cancer in her lung had metastasised to her bladder and she developed inoperable lesions on her brain. She said: “The consultant came to see me and said a possible option was to put me on chemotherapy and radiotherapy but she said it would be a complete waste of resources and that they would rather spend the money on someone who could improve with the treatment.”

On August 11, Helen called her son Darran Murray, 47, in the early hours of the morning saying she was feeling poorly. He said: “I could see a change in her within 10 minutes of being there. Her left eye looked as if it was going to come out the socket and her face was distorted as if she was having a seizure.”

While waiting on the ambulance, and while she was being transported to hospital, Helen had three seizures. Just two days later, the hospital tried to discharge her - despite the gran having a urinary tract infection, being extremely frail and having no care package at home.

Helen had also already been told she had only just three months to live. Darran and Helen’s younger sister Mirelle Mackie, 52, intervened and she was she able to remain until care was arranged.

She was discharged on August 22 but promised long-term care stopped on September 13 after the care team insisted Helen was capable of living independently. But she wasn't able to perform basic tasks, like bathing or cooking, and could not get out of a chair on her own.

Her son Darran began caring for his mum, assisted by his aunt. Darran said: “My mum was terminally ill but still no-one wanted to help her.” Helen said: “I have been let down all the way since my cancer was diagnosed. That’s the NHS’ thanks for all my years of service as a nurse.”

Karen Workman, Adult Social Work senior manager, University Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, said Helen had been assessed by the Home Assessment Team and occupational therapy which resulted in appropriate support equipment being provided.

She added: “She was also assessed by the team’s physiotherapist and the Assistive Team to identify any further support she may require. Throughout the assessment period of almost one month, the team working with Ms Storrie were able to observe her day-to-day abilities and further support was not deemed as required.”

Workman urged Helen and the family to contact them so her needs could be reassessed but by then it was too late. She was admitted to a hospice where her older son Mark said she received the support and care she had been denied at home.

Helen tragically died on Friday surrounded by her family.