Mum diagnosed with bowel cancer after struggling to go to toilet for weeks denied surgery
Vicky Mcloughlin, a 66-year-old woman diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer, has been denied life-saving surgery by multiple hospitals due to concerns over her physical fitness and the high risks of the procedure. Her family is struggling to navigate the medical system as her condition continues to deteriorate.
Why it matters
This story highlights the difficult ethical and clinical decisions doctors face regarding surgical intervention for high-risk, late-stage cancer patients.
12 Vicky Mcloughlin was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer -Credit:Courtesy of Chloe Mcloughlin / SWNS A woman who was diagnosed with bowel cancer after struggling to go to the toilet for two weeks has been left in a constant battle against sepsis and has been denied surgery.
Vicky Mcloughlin, 66, was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in November 2024. Her daughter, Chloe, 33, started to notice that Vicky "wasn't herself" and she later found out she'd been struggling to go to the toilet for two weeks.
When she started suffering from bleeding, Vicky had an endoscopy that didn't initially pick up on anything. Chloe took her mum to A&E , where they scanned her and felt a mass in her cervical area. A biopsy later confirmed it was cancer, and they were told the tumour had started in her bowels and progressed to her cervical area.
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