At the start of last summer, 13-year-old Martha was full of life, dreaming of becoming an author, engineer or film director. By the end of the summer, she was dead after shocking mistakes at one of the UK’s leading hospitals.
Her mother recounts how blind faith in doctors proved fatal. The hospital admitted a breach of duty of care and described a “catastrophic error”. The tragedy was not due to NHS cuts or staff shortages, but to clinical failings.
During a family holiday in Snowdonia, Martha fell off her bike onto her handlebars, leaving a red ring on her stomach. A nurse consulted a doctor by phone, who said it was likely internal bruising and prescribed paracetamol. The mother considered insisting the doctor examine Martha, but did not.
By 2am, Martha was vomiting and in pain. Her father pushed her in a wheelbarrow down a hill to the car, and they drove to Bronglais hospital in Aberystwyth. The mother now urges others to be more questioning of medical advice, hoping Martha’s story might save lives.
