Patients got cancer from donor organs, but officials say it’s rare

A man died and a woman is fighting for her life after they received organ transplants from a donor who had undetected cancer. Tom Tyreman, 63, from Stockton on Tees, initially recovered after his operation at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital a year ago, but died earlier this year.

A small cancerous tumour was later found in the transplanted liver which had not been detected by screening. Pauline Hunt, 49, from Kilmarnock, Scotland, developed cancer after receiving a kidney from the same donor, a woman who died from a blood clot. Mr Tyreman’s sister, Jane Bird, said, “We were told that Tom could develop cancer down the line because his immune system was so suppressed, but we were never told that he could get it from a donated organ.”

STRINGENT TESTS

She called for more stringent tests and urged that medics be “more upfront” about what could go wrong. Mrs Hunt described herself as “basically under a death sentence.” She said, “Nobody should be fighting somebody else’s cancer.”

A National Health Service spokesman said the medical history of all potential donors is carefully checked and if an abnormality is found, a biopsy is carried out. “The transmission of an undiagnosed cancer is a risk, though extremely rare,” he said.

The transplant service said it does everything possible to ensure the quality of donated organs but because of the speed required, it was not normally possible to screen donors in advance.

WAITING FOR TRANSPLANT

Official figures show that between 2001 and 2010, only 15 out of more than 30,000 UK organ transplant recipients contracted cancer from a donor. Three of them died. Meanwhile, some 20 people a day die while waiting for a transplant.

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An early warning system to prevent crops from being devastated by severe weather conditions is being used in Kenya and 33 other countries with positive results, according to the BBC.

Walter Wafula, who grows maize in Bungoma, told BBC News that the service had transformed his family’s prospects. He said, “Because of the increased income from my farm, my kids can now go to a better school and I can provide for the basic needs of my family.”

The Pest Risk Information Service (PRISE) combines temperature data and weather forecasts with computer models. It then sends farmers a mobile phone alert so that they can take precautions against bad weather. It also diagnoses growth issues and prescribes the right pesticides and other measures.

GOOD YIELDS

So far, the scheme has helped 18.3 million farmers in Africa, Asia and the Americas. On average, farm incomes and yields are 13 per cent higher for those using the service.

Prof Charlotte Watts, chief scientific adviser for the UK’s Department for International Development, said, “Farmers are completely dependent on crops and the predictability of having good yields, so if we can reduce the impact of pests, if we enable them to get better yields, we can help them move out of poverty.”

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When Lauren Smith blacked out at the wheel of the family car travelling at 60 miles per hour, her eight-year-old son took control of the vehicle and steered it across a busy dual carriageway to safety.

Ben Hedger was on his way home from school near Colchester in Essex when his mother lost consciousness and the car hit the central reservation. Ben switched on the hazard lights and, seizing the wheel, guided the vehicle across the lanes to the hard shoulder, where it stalled.

MUGGING

The boy’s mother, who came round after about ten minutes, said she had never had a seizure before. Her son told her he “did what he had to do, otherwise they would have died.” She described his actions as “amazing.”

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As the Brexit catastrophe blunders on, comedian Dane Baptiste had a wise take on proponents’ attitudes: “A lot of voters who want us to leave Europe say, ‘Stop complaining, it’s democracy!” Well, democracy doesn’t always work. If five people democratically elect to take your iPhone, that’s a mugging.”

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A fellow was clinging to his rooftop in a raging flood when a rowing boat came by and offered to help. But the man declined, saying, “It’s OK, I’m praying to God, he will save me.” Then a motor boat appeared but got the same reply, “God is going to help me.” Finally, a helicopter pilot shouted that they would lift him to safety but the stranded man repeated that he placed his faith in the Lord.

Soon after that the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. In Heaven, he complained to God, “I had faith in you, but you did nothing to save me.” Replied God, “I sent you a rowing boat and a motor boat and a helicopter, what more did you want!”

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