A CANCER sufferer who demanded a second opinion after seeing an episode of the television hospital drama Holby City was found to have an aggressive tumour, her husband said today.
Souad Love, from Bridport, later died, aged 33, after a two-and-a-half year fight against the disease.
Her husband, Arrol, described how his wife had been sent home from the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester where doctors had told her the lump on her right breast was "just fatty tissue".
Mr Love, who was married to his wife for seven years, said: "She was watching Holby City and said 'they've just done a breast cancer test with a needle'.
"She realised she had not had that and was worried the lump was getting bigger so we went back.
"Then she was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive tumour. If she hadn't seen Holby City she might have died within months."
A spokesman for West Dorset General Hospitals Trust said Mr Love had made a complaint about his wife's late diagnosis.
But since her death Mr Love says he has decided not to take it further at this point.
A spokesman for the trust said they could not comment on individual cases.
The spokesman added: "We were in contact with Mr Love at the time of the complaint. If he would like to discuss it further he is of course welcome to contact us. We would be happy to talk to Mr Love about any aspect of his wife's care."
Mr Love has pledged to raise money for the medical day unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, where his wife was later treated after a friend suggested they go to the specialist centre for help.
Mr Love said the staff at the Royal Marsden won his wife's complete trust and she always felt safe in their hands. There she endured huge doses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
He said: "This gave Souad and I an extra two years together. She wanted to help other people and was a kind, loving and caring person."
It was one of her dying wishes that Mr Love carry on fundraising for the Royal Marsden's Make Our Day cancer campaign.
Mr Love added: "It was a very difficult time for me to see my beautiful wife fight so hard for so long, then finally for her illness to overwhelm her," he said.
"For two and a half years Souad had to endure some very unpleasant treatment with terrible side effects in an attempt to save her life.
"But she always handled her illness in a very positive and dignified manner, her beautiful smile ever present despite her constant distress."
Street collectors, with distinctive blue and pink cans, will be in East Street, West Street, Bucky Do Square and South Street, Bridport, tomorrow.
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