A newlywed couple faced a tragic blow when a husband was forced to hold his wife as she died from bowel cancer , which doctors seemingly dismissed as endometriosis . According to the distraught husband, Michael Barlow, the tragic event occurred a year after he and Laura Barlow wed.
At the time, Barlow said that Laura had been saying that she felt unwell and was suffering from abdominal pain and reportedly had blood in her poop. According to her husband, Laura had been working in a hospital as a doctor and knew that this could possibly be a sign of cancer. So, in October 2023, she called her own doctor and scheduled an appointment, according to The Sun .
When discussing her symptoms with over the phone with her doctor's office, Barlow states that Laura was allegedly told that her symptoms were likely caused by endometriosis — a condition where tissue similar to that found in a mother's womb begins growing in other places. However, the tests that were administered to Laura came back negative and was sent home without a treatment plan.
Months later, Laura was still reportedly in pain. After allegedly being "doubled over" with pain at work, she was rushed to an Urgent Care center and was given morphine. However, Laura was not able to get any diagnosis as the staff at the medical center stated that they could do nothing as her own doctor had been treating her.
Finally, in January, Laura underwent an ultrasound and CT scan that revealed that she was suffering from lesions on her liver. The woman was told to see a specialist, as well as have an MRI scan and an endoscopy. Sometime later, Laura was officially diagnosed with bowel cancer. Unfortunately, it was too late do anything as she died two weeks after the diagnosis.
Shortly after being diagnosed, officials told family and friends that they needed to spend as much time with Laura as possible. "We had booked the break with the kids and [Laura's sister] Lisa and her husband a year in advance," Barlow said. "It was exactly what we needed - a little fun, but sadly it turned out to be the last holiday with Laura."
"We had to bring a wheelchair and morphine for her but we still made some fun memories," he added. According to Barlow, Laura's quality of life rapidly deteriorated when they returned. "I asked her dad to come and help me look after her while we waited for other family members to bring the bed into the spare room downstairs."
"She passed away a few days later on February 5," he added. According to one of Laura's kids from a previous relationship: "She laid in the arms of her loving husband and took her last breath peacefully at home in her bed." She added: "Everyone who knew Laura will agree that she was the most caring and beautiful human who everyone loved to be around."
"Laura had the most contagious laugh and brightened up everyone’s day," the kid added. Until her death, Barlow, 52, said that she was "fit as a fiddle." The widower also mourned his wife's shocking end. "We had only been married a year and it just felt like we were robbed from the time we had with her." Barlow added: "I am just so angry and frustrated as it feels like the NHS has failed us and that they could have done more for her."
"I feel that if a doctor had seen her and not diagnosed her over the phone, then it would have been spotted sooner," said Barlow. According to the man, he has been fighting to make all doctor appointments face-to-face. Speaking with ChronicleLive , Barlow said that his wife's death was "preventable" and that "I just want an apology, so no one else has to go through it."
Since then, family and friends have launched a petition to ensure that patients are getting the face time with their doctors that they deserve. As of Thursday, the petition has gained 8,668 signatures out of 10,000.
"Sadly, Laura's story is not unique," a family friend by the name of Amy Mitchell stated. "Many people are being misdiagnosed or undiagnosed due to the lack of face-to-face consultations with GPs."
"The devastating consequence is that we are losing many young people prematurely, she continued. Laura's sister, Lisa, also blasted the NHS saying that she hopes that her sister's story will “help stop another family going through what we’re going through."
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