A father-of-four from High Halden in Kent is bravely battling bowel cancer despite his initial symptoms being dismissed by doctors. Matt Jones visited his GP in May, complaining of extreme cramping, diarrhea, and nausea. However, his doctor misdiagnosed his symptoms as an iron deficiency. After collapsing at home due to the pain, Mr. Jones was rushed to the hospital, where doctors realized he needed urgent testing. Unfortunately, delays in the testing process meant that Mr. Jones was not diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer until six weeks later. During this time, his wife gave birth to twins.
Initially, Mr. Jones sought medical help when he began experiencing severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea. Following a blood test, his doctor told him it was only anemia. Mrs. Jones, who was pregnant with twins, cared for her husband as his condition worsened to the point where he couldn’t eat. In May, Mr. Jones collapsed at home due to severe stomach pains. When Mrs. Jones called for an ambulance, she was told it would be a 10-hour wait. Instead, she was advised to take him to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, which was 14 miles away. A neighbor eventually drove him to the hospital, where he spent 21 hours waiting in a corridor before being admitted. It was only then that a consultant ordered an urgent colonoscopy, but the procedure was delayed for four weeks. Consequently, Mr. Jones was not diagnosed with bowel cancer until July 6, six weeks after his initial hospital admission.
Bowel cancer is a serious disease with symptoms such as blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, and abdominal pain. Treatment usually involves a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Half of all patients survive for 10 years or more after diagnosis. Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Mr. Jones’ wife gave birth to twins, one of whom has a serious heart condition requiring hospital treatment.
Mr. Jones’ sister, Claire Henderson, has expressed her disgust with the treatment he received at the hospital. She plans to file a formal complaint against East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. Mrs. Henderson believes that if her brother had been given a colonoscopy sooner, his cancer could have been diagnosed and treated earlier, sparing him a month of agony. Mr. Jones has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover household bills not being met while he is unable to work. He has already raised £3,700 out of his £5,000 goal.
The East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has acknowledged that Mr. Jones did not receive a colonoscopy until June 28, more than four weeks after his initial hospitalization. A spokesperson confirmed that Mr. Jones underwent a sigmoidoscopy and a gastroscopy on May 26 to take biopsies as part of the diagnostic process. The biopsies raised concerns, leading to the colonoscopy on June 28. The spokesperson added that they would welcome the opportunity to discuss Mr. Jones’ concerns directly with him.
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