In recent months, a string of revelations about cancer care in the UK and US has brought the experiences of patients and their families into sharp focus, highlighting both the shortcomings of established systems and the extraordinary efforts of community members to fill the gaps. From the Borders of Scotland to County Durham and across the Atlantic in New Haven, Connecticut, stories of pain, perseverance, and hope have unfolded, each underscoring the crucial importance of compassionate, person-centered care in the face of a devastating diagnosis.
In Melrose, Scotland, the family of Roy Owen is still coming to terms with the painful final months of his life at Borders General Hospital (BGH). Admitted for 24-hour palliative care on May 15, 2023, the 79-year-old Selkirk resident—who had battled stage 4 prostate cancer that spread to his bones and spine—spent 16 weeks on a medical ward before passing away on September 4, 2023. Yet, as reported by BBC, instead of comfort, Mr. Owen endured what an official investigation later described as "unnecessary pain."
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) released a damning report on September 2, 2025, detailing "serious clinical failings… which led to a significant personal injustice to a vulnerable person." The investigation found that, despite being admitted specifically for pain management, Mr. Owen was repeatedly denied adequate pain relief. Over his entire stay, staff only assessed him as needing extra pain relief on two occasions. Consultant advice was ignored, pain assessments were infrequent, and complaints from both Mr. Owen and his wife, Ann, were brushed aside. The report also cited poor record keeping, occasions when pain medication ran out or was inaccessible due to missing cabinet keys, and even instances where Mr. Owen received the wrong medication.
Ann Owen, his widow, spoke candidly about her ordeal: "The reason my husband was at the hospital was for palliative pain management, so I find it odd that the attitude was so casual and certainly not adequate. When I went to visit him, he would be desperate for help – even after I went to tell the nurses, they would often do nothing, other times they would offer him paracetamol." She added, "A lot of our friends and family – many who were ex-NHS employees – came to visit Roy and they were appalled by what was going on. I knew things were bad, but the investigation report shows it was much worse at the hospital than any of us thought."
Her attempts to raise concerns—first verbally, then in writing—were met with silence for over six weeks. When responses finally came, they were, in her words, "awful." The SPSO concluded that NHS Borders failed to ensure complaint responses were accurate or substantiated by clinical records. Consequently, NHS Borders was ordered to apologize to Mrs. Owen and her family, to retrain staff in pain management, and to guarantee that future patients receive person-centered care. A spokesperson for NHS Borders admitted, "The quality of care that (Mr Owen) received was not of the standard we expect for our patients. We have accepted the recommendations identified in full and are making the changes required so that similar experiences are avoided in the future. We are sincerely sorry for the effect that this had on (Mr and Mrs Owen) and their family. We have offered a full apology to (Mrs Owen) and their family."
While the Owens' story shines a light on failings in palliative care, another crisis has emerged in County Durham, where a major NHS trust is grappling with the aftermath of serious failings in breast cancer care dating back to 2019. As reported by ChronicleLive, investigations uncovered outdated practices, unnecessary surgeries, and missed cancer diagnoses. At least 200 patients are thought to have been affected, with 12 identified as having suffered harm. The trust began a "look-back" review in February 2025, and by July, discussions had been held with 80 patients about aspects of their care that "could have been done differently and been improved."
External probes by the Northern Cancer Alliance, the Royal College of Surgeons, and now the Royal College of Radiologists have all highlighted areas where patients did not receive the care they deserved. The trust publicly apologized in July 2025 and has since hired two new consultant breast surgeons, invested in modern equipment, and strengthened its multidisciplinary team processes. A patient helpline and email address have been set up for those seeking advice or wishing to provide feedback.
Chloe Gibson, a specialist medical negligence solicitor at Slater and Gordon, described a "surge" in women seeking legal advice: "These women have been through such an ordeal in dealing with the devastation of a cancer diagnosis – to have suffered from failings in care adds further to the huge trauma they have already experienced. The fact the Trust has admitted it has concerns about the care it has delivered, and quickly launched an inquiry, may confirm many women’s suspicions that the poor care they received warrants further investigation." The law firm is hosting a free legal advice clinic on September 30, 2025, in Durham city centre to help affected patients and their families.
Kathryn Burn, the trust's executive director of nursing, acknowledged, "We know that some patients have not received the standard of care that we would want for them, or that they deserve. We have identified areas where improvement was needed – including how surgical decisions were made, how our multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) worked and where some outdated practices were still in use. For some patients, this may have resulted in more extensive surgery than was clinically necessary at the time. We fully recognise how distressing this is to hear, and we are truly sorry."
Across the Atlantic, a different kind of response is taking root—one led not by institutions but by families who have lived through the trauma of childhood cancer. In New Haven, Connecticut, Jeff and Sam Dorman founded the Feeding Families Foundation in January 2024 after their own daughter, Harper, was diagnosed with leukemia in September 2022. The nonprofit delivers free meals to parents of children undergoing cancer treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital, easing the logistical and financial burdens of hospital stays. As reported by CT Mirror, the Dormans recognized from personal experience how quickly the costs of food and lost income can mount, especially when a parent must stop working to care for a sick child.
"The longer you’re in it, all of these different things start to mount and get very, very expensive. Food being one of them," Jeff Dorman explained. The foundation began by providing one meal a day, later increasing to two, and has since delivered over 2,000 meals. Local restaurants like Modern Apizza and Nolo donate food, and the program is expanding to the pediatric intensive care unit later this year. The foundation also runs a "Snacks Program" to ensure families arriving at odd hours have access to food.
Kevin Billingsley, chief medical officer at Yale Cancer Center, praised the initiative: "Physicians focus on the medical needs of the patient, but there’s so much that goes into tending to the well-being of not just the patient but the family. Jeff and Sam … recognized a need and brought people together to address that, and it’s so powerful." For the Dormans, the act of giving back is also part of their own healing journey. Their daughter Harper finished treatment in June 2025, and the family now sometimes delivers meals together to other families in need. "It’s really nice," Sam Dorman said. "It’s like healing for them to be able to go and give back."
These stories, from institutional failings to grassroots solutions, reveal the complexities and challenges of cancer care. They also serve as a reminder that, in the face of adversity, compassion and accountability can make all the difference for patients and their families.
