Sharni Marks, 31, was added to the waiting list in August 2022 without a specified surgery date. Despite being repeatedly informed she was a priority for the operation, it wasn’t until March 2024 that Sharni finally received the procedure
A a 31 year old mum-of-two, has been diagnosed with breast cancer following an agonising 18-month wait for preventative surgery.
After discovering she carried the BRCA2 gene in 2018—a mutation known to increase breast cancer risk—Sharni Marks was placed under the care of surgeons at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, West Mids.
She was assured that a double mastectomy would significantly lower her chances of developing the disease and was added to the waiting list in August 2022 without a specified surgery date. Despite being repeatedly informed she was a priority for the operation, it wasn’t until March 2024 that Sharni finally received the procedure, along with reconstructive surgery.
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However, a subsequent post-op check revealed a mass in the removed left breast tissue, leading to a grade-three breast cancer diagnosis, a type more prevalent among those with BRCA mutations. The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust has since issued an apology for the delay.
Amidst chemotherapy treatment, Sharni reflected on her ordeal: “When I was told I was at high risk of getting breast cancer, I thought being under the care of breast surgeons would be the best thing for me. After starting our family, I was added onto the waiting list for surgery. Months went by and I was still on the waiting list.
“It got to the point where I would call often to seek an update. It felt like it got to the stage where I knew what I was going to be told each time before I called. To finally undergo a double preventative mastectomy was a relief to start with. But that turned to devastation when I was told I’d developed cancer.
“It was a huge decision to have a life-changing mastectomy. Sometimes it feels like I’ve gone through the physical trauma of surgery and the emotion of deciding to have surgery for nothing. Given what the Hospital Trust has told me it’s often hard not to think whether I wouldn’t have developed cancer if I’d have undergone surgery sooner.”
Sharni described the last few months as “the hardest of my life” and despite the whirlwind of emotions she says she is grateful for the surgeon who performed her mastectomy and everyone involved in her care since. She said: “While my treatment has been debilitating and has had a massive impact on my physical and mental health, everyone involved in my care around my diagnosis and treatment has been amazing.”
Sharni says she is determined to focus on her recovery, and opened up about her concerns on the waiting list delays: “The issue around waiting lists and the time it’s taking for people to have surgery is serious. It’s incredibly concerning that there could well be thousands of others who have been waiting for surgery and who have received a life-changing diagnosis. People may not think it will affect them, but it can affect anyone.”
A letter from the Hospital Trust to her GP in June 2024 revealed that Sharni’s situation had been a topic of concern at a weekly harm meeting. The correspondence highlighted that she “most probably come to harm developing a breast cancer during her long wait for bilateral risk reducing mastectomy.”
Moreover, it pointed out that “it was probable that her cancer has developed whilst waiting about a year and a half for her risk reducing mastectomy.”
Following the tragic situation, the Trust extended “sincere apologies” to her for being involved in a “involved in a patient safety incident.” In pursuit of better practices, the Trust initiated an inquiry aimed at “minimise the possibility of such incidents recurring and drive improvements.”
Dealing with the aftermath, Sharni approached the expert medical negligence solicitors at Irwin Mitchell to pursue an investigation into her treatment, intending to secure vital specialist assistance and the rehabilitation she desperately needs.
Laura Ellacott, a medical negligence expert, described the challenging ordeal: “The last few months and coming to terms with the physical and psychological impact of her diagnosis has been incredibly difficult for Sharni and her family. Understandably, Sharni has a number of concerns about her care and whether more could have been done to prevent her cancer developing. The first-hand account we’ve heard from her and the Hospital Trust’s own findings are worrying.”
There was further emphasis on how, despite NHS pressures and long waiting lists, delays in care can lead to catastrophic outcomes: “While we recognise the NHS is under tremendous strain and waiting lists can be long, care delays can have a devastating impact.”
Ellacott stressed the personal toll these cases take: “Each case of a patient facing a wait for treatment isn’t a statistic but a human story of someone who has potentially been exposed to unnecessary suffering or harm.”
She highlighted the severe implications for patients and their loved ones: “Such incidents can have significant consequences for patients and families, including through a life-changing diagnosis or even death.”
Her commitment to her client was clear: “We continue to support Sharni and are determined to help provide her with all the answers she deserves and access to the specialist care she needs.”
The Mirror has contacted the hospital for a full statement.
