Mum has just ‘eight weeks to live after her cancer was mistaken for DEPRESSION’
A MUM-of-two has just "eight weeks to live" after doctors mistook her stomach cancer for depression, her family claims.
Tina Locke, from Penygraig in Wales, was told she had the disease after complaining of stomach and chest pains for the last two years.
Her family claim she was wrongly treated for depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia - a poorly understood condition causing pain throughout the body.
They say she was given nothing more than antidepressants to treat her symptoms.
And now they say the cancer is so advanced it has spread to her abdominal lining and surrounding lymph nodes.
An investigation into Tina's care is now underway.
Her husband Jason Locke said his wife has been severely let down by the NHS.
He said doctors should have taken her cries for help more seriously.
"The way she’s been treated by the NHS has been absolutely disgusting," he said.
"Nobody took her seriously because she looked so well.
"She begged the doctors to give her tests.
"It’s really shocking that this was allowed to happen."
Family and friends are now crowdfunding for £15,000 to get Tina, 43, to Germany for potentially life-extending immunotherapy, which they say is her only hope of survival.
But it could cost as much as £300,000 to give her the help she needs.
Tina, a former hairdresser, was diagnosed with signet ring cell adenocarcinoma, a rare and difficult to treat form of stomach cancer that is almost immune to chemotherapy.
The cancer tends to affect the glandular cells lining the stomach.
It is hoped the immunotherapy will boost her bodies natural defences to fight the cancer.
Her close friend Laura Obradovic-Eaves said: "Immunotherapy is available here on the NHS but has only been approved for certain cancers and has not been approved for stomach cancer, despite evidence showing it has the potential to increase life expectancy dramatically in advanced gastric cancer compared to chemotherapy.
"The family have argued their case to the NHS and asked them to skip the formalities of approval and give her the treatment here but so far they are refusing to help Tina."
MOST READ IN HEALTH
A spokeswoman for Cwm Taf University Health Board, where Tina was treated, said: "We are unable to comment on any individual patient and the circumstances surrounding their care.
"However we are aware of this case and an investigation is underway."
More than £8,000 has been raised so far for Tina's trip to Germany through her Just Giving Page.
You can donate to Tina on her, or her the
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368