A 34-year-old woman died just nine days after the birth of her child as doctors failed to diagnose her breast cancer for almost two years.
Melissa Hamilton first visited her GP with concerns over pain in her breast in December 2009 and was referred to a breast clinic in Letterkenny General Hospital.
However, despite being seen at the clinic twice in 2010, she was not diagnosed on either occasion and her invasive breast cancer was only discovered in August 2011 while she was pregnant with her third child.
Ms Hamilton underwent undergo a hysterectomy following the birth and died on 8 September, a fortnight after her diagnosis.
According to RTÉ, her family have now taken legal action for damages in the High Court and Ms Hamilton’s husband told the court about his wife’s funeral and about telling their oldest daughter who was then six, that her mother had died.
He broke down as he described how she said to him, some time later, that she thought her mother would be coming back from heaven.
The case continues this week.
