'Neurotic' mum died of tumour

Relatives of Louise Pearson say it took years of complaining about severe headaches before she was referred to a specialist unit.

They believe her life could have been saved if the tumour had been detected earlier.

They claim that Louise, of Undercliffe, Bradford, had sought medical help for the headaches for four years but when she was eventually referred, by Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, to a specialist unit at St James's Hospital, in Leeds, staff told her family that her medical file described her as "neurotic."

It was only in June last year that Louise was finally diagnosed as having a brain tumour and had surgery at the Leeds hospital.

Ninety per cent of the tumour was successfully removed but 10 per cent had spread to her brain. It was then that Louise's family were told that her condition was terminal.

She died at home last Tuesday surrounded by her family, who have now appointed lawyers to carry out an inquiry into the standards of care she received.

The health trust, which runs Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke's Hospital, today confirmed that it was holding its own inquiry into Louise's death.

"When Louise was finally diagnosed and admitted to St James's Hospital the nurse said to us that she didn't think she would be able to have a conversation with Louise as she had been described as neurotic in her file," said her sister Elizabeth Jamieson, 29.

Her family allege that a GP diagnosed Louise as suffering from depression and prescribed valium when she complained of headaches .

"Louise was a happy-go-lucky person who was always cheerful and took whatever life threw at her. To say she was suffering from depression was absolute rubbish," said her mother, Margaret Pearson, 56.

Louise's condition deteriorated when she started to experience seizures. She collapsed a number of times and on one occasion broke her collar bone. She also started to experience loss of sensation in her hands and legs and partial loss of sight.

Her local pharmacist was the only one to suggest at this time that Louise might have a brain tumour, said her father, Robert Pearson, 56.

"The pharmacist kept telling Louise to be persistent and that she could have a tumour," he said. "I can't believe it was the local chemist who thought of it first and not the fully qualified professionals.

"It's is such a waste, my daughter was one of the most loving and giving people you could ever hope to meet. Her door was open to anyone and she would give help to anyone who needed it.

"We have been touched by the number of people who have contacted us with messages of sympath. That is testimony to the type of person Louise was."

Elizabeth, is now bringing up Louise's children Stacey, 16, Ashley, eight, Ryan, seven, and Farah Marie, 21 months.

She said she was angry that her nieces and nephews will have to grow up without their mother.

"It's bad enough for all of us to come to terms with the loss of Louise but they have lost their mother and it didn't have to happen," she said.

The family's lawyers, Burnetts Solicitors, of Carlisle, are probing the circumstances surrounding Louise's diagnosis and treatment.

"Louise's family have a number of concerns about the medical treatment that she received during her illness and have appointed us to carry out a full investigation," said Vicki Jagger, its clinical negligence partner.

A Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman said: "We extend our sympathy to the family at this very sad time. This is a complex case and every effort is being made to investigate and determine the circumstances surrounding her death.

"The matter is now with our legal team and as the legal process is now active, and due to patient confidentiality, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

A funeral service and celebration of Louise's life was today being held at St Augustine's Church, Undercliffe, followed by cremation at Rawdon Crematorium. Her family have asked for donations to be given to Marie Curie Cancer Care which helped her in the last days of her life.