"My mum’s unexplained weight loss"

My 88 year old mum has been losing weight for some time now. Recently her GP referred her to the ECDC. As you can imagine, the mere mention of the word “cancer” sparked alarm and concern in my mum and me. But our Pathway Navigator Lorna explained that a referral to this new service doesn’t necessarily always mean a cancer diagnosis will follow. 

Lorna telephoned my mum to advise that she had arranged CT scan for just a couple of days later on Thursday, and her results were relayed via video link on the following Monday by Nurse Specialist Katie. 

Straight away Katie reassured us that nothing “sinister” had been detected on the scan. My mum still has a few issues to be followed up, but Katie will liaise with my mum’s GP surgery and other specialist colleagues about the ways forward for those, and will telephone my mum to discuss the outcomes after a meeting this Thursday. 

The whole process, from initial referral to scan results, took only a few days. It was reassuringly quick. Additionally, being able to speak to Katie via video link, and to Lorna via telephone and email, really cut down on waiting for letters, etc (Lorna really went out of her way to keep me informed about what the arrangements were at each step of the process, and to explain what to expect).

At 88, it’s quite an ordeal for my mum to travel to and from hospital, not to mention the difficulties around parking, and is another reason why the approach of this service to distance communication was so welcomed by us. 

So, as we write, there are one or two things still outstanding to happen for my mum, but knowing people like Katie and Lorna have them in hand really takes a lot of the stress and anxiety out of the situation.

We hear so much about how the NHS is struggling to cope, and I know it may put some people off coming forward for treatment, believing they either will not be seen for ages, or that their concerns are not ‘important’ enough to burden an already-struggling health service. 

But this new diagnostic department provides such a fantastic service, which is delivered quickly and efficiently by knowledgeable, patient and empathic staff, that we would encourage anyone to take up any offer of a referral.  

Both my mum and I (and the rest of the family) are extremely grateful for everything they’ve done for us. Thank you 🙏