Latest news with #GabriellaPatey
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
N.S woman receives apology following false cancer diagnosis
A Nova Scotia woman who received a false breast cancer diagnosis says she received an apology from the IWK. A Nova Scotia woman who received a false breast cancer diagnosis says she received an apology from the IWK. Just eight days after Nova Scotian Gabriella Patey claims she was told her breast cancer diagnosis was meant for someone else, she says she's received an apology from the IWK. 'I received a verbal apology yesterday afternoon and a formal amendment showing the correct diagnosis and that the 2nd diagnosis did not belong to my file,' Patey told CTV News Atlantic Thursday via text. Andrea Slaney, a spokesperson for the IWK, told CTV News Atlantic in an email Thursday they have been in contact with the patient, but cannot comment further due to patient privacy. Health Minister Michelle Thompson called Patey's situation 'stressful' at a cabinet meeting in Halifax Thursday. 'I know that the health-care system makes mistakes sometimes. I acknowledge that, certainly (with) my experience as a health-care worker, that has happened. What's essential is, number one, that we reach out to those patients when those things happen and we speak directly to them and understand the experience. And also, we then go back and look at the system and understand where that mistake or that policy or that standard wasn't met or didn't follow through,' says Thompson. Patey's story has touched others who say they went through similar experiences. Irene LeBlanc says she was told a lump in her breast was cancerous, and says she underwent a lumpectomy at another Nova Scotia hospital in 2011. She says she got a phone call from her family doctor afterwards, confirming it was not cancer. 'My family doctor was actually on vacation, and he had set me up. He said, 'I'm going to make sure everything's in place before I go (and) that you have the best care.' Which he did. And he actually called me when he was on vacation from England and said, 'Hey, it's not cancer,'' says LeBlanc. LeBlanc says she's still emotionally and physically grappling with the situation, and has a message for others. 'If I was ever to get a diagnosis again of any kind, I would definitely go for a second opinion. Because everybody makes mistakes, but this is not a mistake you want to happen to you or any of your loved ones,' she says. Thompson argues Nova Scotians should keep the faith in this health-care system. 'We believe in excellence. We believe in quality care and safe care. And there are times, in a system with humans, that mistakes will be made. And our responsibility is to understand the mistake, make sure we speak with families and patients and then improve the system… and that's how people can move forward and trust the system,' says Thompson. Gabriella Patey Gabriella Patey says she was falsely diagnosed with cancer. (Source: Vanessa Wright/CTV News Atlantic) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Woman, 31, adds name to euthanasia list after ‘grim' cancer diagnosis – then she receives ‘haunting' realisation
A WOMAN who was told she had advanced-stage breast cancer and only months to live received shocking news just days later. Gabriella Patey, 31, received the "grim diagnosis" that had also claimed her mum's life, and began telling family and friends, as well as making end-of-life preparations. 2 2 Living in Canada, Gabriella put a claim through her bank for critical illness insurance and put her name on the list for medically assisted dying. She told Global News: "I just came to terms with it. This is what it was, just absolutely devastating." But just says later, her family doctor called with some unbelievable news. She recalled: "I got another call from my primary care physician stating, actually, there had been a critical patient error at the IWK (Health Centre). "And the file with the grim diagnosis did not even belong to me. "I didn't even really believe her. I mean why should I? They had made this mistake once, how could they make it again?" Gabriella first discovered a lump on her breast in October 2023, not long after her mum had died of the disease. Over the course of a year, she had multiple ultrasounds at the Breast Health Clinic at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In May 17, following a biopsy, Gabriella received the "great news" there were no traces of breast cancer. But two and a half weeks later, her family doctor called to say there must have been mistake as she did actually have cancer. I planned my suicide after my GP misdiagnosed me - turns out I wasn't depressed The news came just five days after she'd finished successful treatment for thyroid cancer. Two days later, however, her family doctor confirmed it was actually an error - she didn't have cancer. Gabriella's doctor went to the IWK to check her lab report. She said: "A director in the pathology department spoke to my primary care physician verbally admitted that it was a critical patient error." While Gabriella has received an apology from IWK, she's been left doubting Nova Scotia's health-care system and is pursuing legal action. She said she and her family have been left haunted by what's happened. 'It's absolutely devastating to get a diagnosis like that. I had to look my husband in the face and tell him,' she said. '(We have) all these plans for our future and (I had to) say, 'I may not be here to live out those plans with you.' I mean we're crying ourselves to sleep every night.' In a statement to Global News, a spokesperson from IWK Health said "concerns of this nature are taken seriously." Spokesperson Andrea Slaney wrote: "Due to patient privacy, IWK Health is unable to comment on specific cases. "However, concerns of this nature are taken seriously and a formal investigation process is followed with engagement from IWK's Quality, Patient Safety and Patient Experience team."
Global News
10-06-2025
- Health
- Global News
N.S. woman wrongly diagnosed with terminal cancer: ‘Absolutely devastating'
A week ago, 31-year-old Gabriella Patey was told she had advanced-stage breast cancer and was expected to have only months to live. Armed with the 'grim diagnosis' that had also claimed her mother's life, Patey began telling family and friends and making end-of-life preparations. 'I put a claim in through my bank for critical illness insurance and just put my name on the list for medically assisted dying,' the Halifax-area woman said. 'I just came to terms with it. This is what it was, just absolutely devastating.' But days later, Patey's family physician called with shocking news. 'I got another call from my primary care physician stating, actually, there had been a critical patient error at the IWK (Health Centre). And the file with the grim diagnosis did not even belong to me,' she said. Story continues below advertisement 'I didn't even really believe her. I mean why should I? They had made this mistake once, how could they make it again?' Initially told tumour was benign Patey first discovered a lump in her breast in October 2023, just a few weeks after her mother died of breast cancer. She went to the Breast Health Clinic at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax over the course of a year and had multiple ultrasounds. 'Throughout that entire process I said, 'You know, is doing a mastectomy an option because of my history?' They stated, quote-unquote, 'We're not there yet.'' She had a biopsy on the tissue from her left breast at the end of April this year. On May 17, Patey said she received a call with 'great news, 'and was told the tumour was benign and had no traces of breast cancer. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'My husband and I obviously celebrated. We told all my friends and family, it was just such a big relief.' Two and a half weeks later on June 4, her family doctor called to tell her there had been a mistake and she did indeed have cancer. The devastating news came just five days after she finished a successful thyroid cancer treatment. Story continues below advertisement Patey provided Global News with a copy of the written biopsy result stating 'breast tissue (left upper outer quadrant mass)' was found to have 'invasive ductal carcinoma.' She credits her family physician, who also works in the IWK part-time, for pursuing the truth about her diagnosis. By Friday — two days after her terminal diagnosis — her family physician confirmed it was actually an error. Patey's lab report states 'breast tissue (left breast mass at 10 to 12 o'clock)' had 'benign breast tissue' and was 'negative for in situ and invasive malignancy.' Furthermore, her family doctor physically went to the IWK to check the slides. 'A director in the pathology department spoke to my primary care physician directly … and verbally admitted that it was a critical patient error,' she said. 'They are investigating it but she can't comment anymore because it is an ongoing investigation. So no, I have no idea if the other woman has found out and they haven't admitted anything to me on paper.' At this point, Patey isn't confident about her biopsy results and wants to receive something in writing. 'The first thing I'm looking for is an apology' Patey said she is left doubting Nova Scotia's health-care system and is pursuing legal action. Story continues below advertisement But the first thing she wanted was an explanation and an apology. 'I have called them 17 times. I've left multiple messages. I've filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Health Authority. I filed a complaint through the patient advocate services to the IWK, and I have received absolutely no response, not an apology, nothing, absolutely nothing,' she said Monday. 'I wouldn't even have known about this error, I don't think, at this point in time, if it wasn't for my primary care physician looking at me like I'm an actual human being, and I'm not just a number in a system somewhere.' Patey received a call Tuesday from an IWK representative who confirmed the error and apologized. They said a written explanation was coming. Through it all, Patey said she and her family have been left traumatized by what happened. 'It's absolutely devastating to get a diagnosis like that. I had to look my husband in the face and tell him,' she said. '(We have) all these plans for our future and (I had to) say, 'I may not be here to live out those plans with you.' I mean we're crying ourselves to sleep every night.' And the fact there is another woman and family out there impacted by this error weighs heavily on her. Story continues below advertisement 'The part that also breaks my heart is there is a poor woman out there walking around thinking that she has a benign breast tumour and she has cancer. She has a terminal illness and she might not have any idea,' she said. 'If this happened to me, who else does it happen to and who else will it happen to? There has to be something in place so this doesn't happen again to anybody.' In a statement to Global News, a spokesperson from IWK Health said 'concerns of this nature are taken seriously.' 'Due to patient privacy, IWK Health is unable to comment on specific cases,' wrote spokesperson Andrea Slaney. 'However, concerns of this nature are taken seriously and a formal investigation process is followed with engagement from IWK's Quality, Patient Safety and Patient Experience team.'
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
‘Absolutely unimaginable': N.S woman says she was falsely diagnosed with cancer
Gabriella Patey says she and her family are traumatized after she was falsely diagnosed with cancer by a Halifax hospital. The 31-year-old claims it all started on May 17, when she says she had just finished celebrating after her doctor informed her that results from the IWK, a women's health centre, showed a tumour in her breast was 'completely benign.' 'We celebrated as my mother had just died of the same cancer a year-and-a-half prior. So, it was a huge relief,' says Patey. But the celebration was short-lived, as Patey says she received a shocking call from her doctor less than a month later. 'I get a call from my primary care physician that the IWK had made a mistake, and I actually did have metastatic carcinoma, which is a very grim diagnosis,' says Patey. Just as quickly as she got that call, Patey says she went into 'survival mode' and began making calls of her own. 'I told my friends, my family, my work,' says Patey. 'I put claims in through my bank so my bills would be taken care of. And I got my primary physician that put my name on the list for medically assisted dying. 'My number one priority was to make sure my husband was taken care of. And making sure he didn't have to watch me suffer, like I had to watch my mother suffer,' she says. But things took a turn when Patey says she received another phone call from her doctor last Friday. She says her doctor informed her there had been a mix up at the IWK and that she did not have cancer. Patey says she received a second opinion on Monday, with her doctor confirming she was indeed cancer free. 'This morning, I received a phone call from my primary care physician, the director of pathology at the IWK did a full investigation. She actually went and looked through all the slides and all the reporting herself and determined that my file had been mixed up with someone else's. So now my thought is (that) there's this poor woman that's walking around that was given hope that she didn't have breast cancer. And she does. And she has one of the most aggressive breast cancer out there,' says Patey. Andrea Slaney, a spokesperson for the IWK, told CTV News Atlantic in an email Monday that, 'due to patient privacy, IWK Health is unable to comment on specific cases. However, concerns of this nature are taken seriously and a formal investigation process is followed with engagement from IWK's Quality, Patient Safety and Patient Experience team.' Patey says she does not know what to believe and her faith in the province's health-care system is lost. 'We haven't been able to sleep. We've been crying ourselves to sleep every night. And now I have to go to my work, my family, and say, 'Actually, I don't have this terminal diagnosis.'' And the shame that I feel for having to do that, even though it's not my fault,' says Patey. 'Our health-care system is broken. We know that it's been broken for some time, but it seems like if something like this can happen, are we broken beyond repair?' Patey says throughout this process, she was never once contacted by the IWK directly. She says she intends on taking legal action. 'I'm a person, I'm a human being. I'm not a number in a computer system and to not even call and say, 'We are so sorry for what has happened here.' It's just absolutely unimaginable to me,' says Patey. Gabriella Patey Gabriella Patey says she was falsely diagnosed with cancer. (Source: Vanessa Wright/CTV News Atlantic) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
