Mother dies after cancer dismissed as depression, anxiety

  • 06/10/2017
Mr Locke said his heart has been "shattered into a thousand pieces".
Mr Locke said his heart has been "shattered into a thousand pieces". Photo credit: Facebook/Just Giving

A Welsh woman has passed away after her cancer symptoms were initially dismissed as anxiety and depression. 

Tina Locke, a mother of two from Rhondda in Wales, suffered chest and stomach pains but doctors initially put the symptoms down to anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia (a pain disorder). 

When the cancer was eventually detected by doctors it had spread to the lining of her abdomen and the surrounding lymph nodes, Wales Online reports.

She was diagnosed with signet ring cell adenocarcinoma, a malignant cancer.

Her husband Jason Locke began fundraising to fly her to Germany to get immunotherapy treatment, and the community rallied around the couple to help pay the medical bills. 

However Tina Locke's health began to deteriorate and she died on September 27. 

Mr Locke said his heart has been "shattered into a thousand pieces". 

"I have been grieving all year. In a way it's a relief that she's not suffering anymore but on the other hand we're so sad that she's not here."

Some of the money will go towards installing a memorial seat at a lookout at her favourite beach, where she spent many of her final days. 

The health board at Cwm Taf University has launched an investigation into her care, and Tina's funeral is due to take place on October 10.

Newshub.