Gary’s story is based on a real case of medical misdiagnosis which resulted in a severe tumor being undetected.
Gary was having some stomach pain so he initially went to see his GP who diagnosed the pain as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). He visited his GP regularly for the next 2 years and eventually was admitted to hospital because the pain was so bad. At the hospital, a stool test was ordered which discovered signs of cancer. After further tests, it was revealed that Gary had a tumor blocking 90% of his bowel.
If the warning signs were spotted by the GP, Gary would have acted earlier and stopped the tumor from becoming so severe.
The GP was deemed negligent as she failed to recognise early warning signs and investigate the symptoms.
As Gary lives in a small community, it was uncomfortable for him to engage a lawyer at first. After getting in touch with a lawyer and discovering he had a case, he was able to come to a settlement that helped ensure his family were looked after.