Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Mishandled By Who?

Dr Stephens And Mr Lang: Their Full Story

The traumatised widow of David Lang who passed away from bladder cancer and leukemia in June last year has come forward to raise her concerns about her husband’s diagnosis in February 2019.

Kate Drake alleges that if Dr Daryl Stephens had performed a biopsy on a lesion found in her husband’s bladder, he may still be alive today.

Ms Drake reported that she believes the case was mishandled from the start recounting that Dr Stephens reassured all was fine with her husband’s health.

“He said my husband was fine and we could keep travelling,” said Ms Drake.

“I also double-checked with the Registrar, and she confirmed there was no cancer and that we could continue with our travels.”

In contrast to this account of events, Dr Stephens says that following the initial cystoscopy, the surgical team did want to perform a biopsy but alleges that Mr Lang was very nervous and walked out of the practice before they were able to speak with him.

“Mr Lang was very anxious, and our surgical team told him there was something going on but when I looked at his bladder I could see nothing,” said Dr Stephens.

“There really needed further investigation to be done but before I could talk about a biopsy, he left saying he would be seeing a specialist in Sydney on Thursday.

“He walked out and I never got a chance to talk to him.”

The couple had booked a specialist appointment in Sydney which was due to take place two days later, but Ms Drake said that when they received the all-clear they cancelled.

It was June 2019 before Mr Lang’s symptoms returned and he went to see the specialist in Sydney.

This time he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and went through an intensive course of chemotherapy.

He was then diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia and passed away 16 months ago.

“The Urologist in Sydney said that if we’d got onto this early enough, we could have just gone in and scraped it out,” said Ms Drake.

“We would not have cancelled his specialist appointment if we thought there was a glimmer of a chance that David had cancer.”

Ms Drake said she believes the broader system is failing and she is frustrated that the case has not been thoroughly investigated.

Caption:

1: Kate Drake says the late diagnosis killed her husband David Lang

2: Dr Daryl Stephens says Mr Lang was told additional investigation was required

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