Latest news with #EveenSheehy


Irish Times
a day ago
- Health
- Irish Times
CHI apologises for delay in diagnosing liver cancer in toddler who later died
Children's Health Ireland (CHI) has unreservedly apologised for a delay in diagnosing childhood liver cancer in a girl who later died. Eveen Sheehy was 2 ½ years old when she died six years ago. Her family's senior counsel, Oonah McCrann, instructed by Niamh Ní Mhurchu solicitor, told the High Court it was their case that there were 'multiple missed opportunities, missed diagnosis and a delay in treatment'. Eveen's family are 'tortured by the 'what if'', Ms McCrann said. READ MORE The case came before the court as the Sheehy family settled an action against CHI over Eveen's death. In a letter read to the court CHI unreservedly apologised for the delay in diagnosis and acknowledged the impact and trauma of Eveen's death. The letter, which was signed by CHI chief executive Lucy Nugent, stated: 'We acknowledge and deeply regret the delay in Eveen's diagnosis and again would like to express our deepest condolences on the loss of your daughter.' Eveen's father, Ciaran Sheehy, of Tuam, Co Galway, had sued CHI. Ms McCrann told the court Eveen was born with a congenital heart condition and had a number of hospitalisations and surgeries. She said a CAT scan in February 2018 that included some of the child's upper abdomen was 'erroneously reported as normal'. In October of that year, Ms McCrann said, it was noted that Eveen had an enlarged liver, which should have been fully investigated. It was not until May 2019 that Eveen had an MRI scan of her abdomen at the Crumlin hospital and the liver cancer diagnosis was made. She was given chemotherapy but it was decided she was not a candidate for liver resection or a liver transplant and to the 'enormous grief and distress of her family,' she died that December. The High Court proceedings alleged the February 2018 scan recorded Eveen's upper abdomen as 'unremarkable' when the images allegedly showed an abnormality in the liver at the periphery of the CAT scan. Had the 2cm abnormality been noted and reported, the case alleges, Eveen would have undergone further scans, including an MRI and blood tests. It was contended that on the balance of probabilities Eveen would have had a diagnosis within a week or two. It was claimed there was a gross delay in diagnosing Eveen with liver cancer, which resulted in a consequent delay in the commencement of treatment and reduction in treatment options. Noting the settlement and approving the division of a €35,000 statutory mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said this was a particularly tragic case.


BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
CHI apologies for dealy in diagnosing liver cancer in toddler who died
Children's Health Ireland has unreservedly apologised for a delay in diagnosing childhood liver cancer in a little girl, who later died. Eveen Sheehy was only two and a half years old when she died six years ago. Advertisement The family's counsel, Oonah Mc Crann SC, instructed by Niamh Ní Mhurchú, solicitor, told the High Court it was their case there were 'multiple missed opportunities, missed diagnosis and a delay in treatment.' Eveen's family, counsel said, are 'tortured by the what if.' The case was before the court as the Sheehy family settled an action against Children's Health Ireland over Eveen's death. In a letter which was read to the court, Children's Health Ireland (CHI) unreservedly apologised for the delay in diagnosis and acknowledged the impact and trauma of Eveen's passing on the family. Advertisement The letter, which was signed by CHI CEO Lucy Nugent, added: 'We acknowledge and deeply regret the delay in Eveen's diagnosis and again would like to express our deepest condolences on the loss of your daughter.' Ciaran Sheehy, Tuam, Co Galway, had sued Children's Health Ireland over the death of his daughter, Eveen. Counsel told the court that Eveen was born with a congenital heart condition and had a number of hospitalisations and surgeries. She said a CT scan in February 2018, which included some of the child's upper abdomen, was 'erroneously reported as normal.' Advertisement Counsel said that in October of that year, it was noted that the little girl had an enlarged liver, and it should have been fully investigated. Ms McCrann said Eveen had an MRI scan of her abdomen at the Crumlin hospital in May 2019, and the liver cancer diagnosis was made. She was started on chemotherapy, but it was decided the little girl was not a candidate for liver resection or a liver transplant and to the 'enormous grief and distress of her family,' she died on December 18th 2019. In the proceedings, it was claimed that in February 2018, while in CHI Crumlin, Eveen had a scan which showed some of the upper abdomen. Advertisement The upper abdomen was recorded as 'unremarkable' when, it is claimed, the images showed an abnormality in the liver at the periphery of the CT scan. Had the abnormality, which was a 2cm rounded area, been noted and reported, it is claimed that the baby would have undergone further scans, including an MRI and blood tests. It was contended that on the balance of probabilities, Eveen would have had a diagnosis within a week or two. It was claimed there was a failure to report an abnormality in the liver at the periphery of the CT scan in February 2018. There was, it was claimed, a gross delay in the diagnosis of EV with liver cancer, resulting in a consequent delay in the commencement of treatment and reduction in treatment options. Noting the settlement and approving the division of the €35,000 statutory mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a particularly tragic case. The judge extended his deepest sympathy to Eveen's parents, Ciaran and Sandra Sheehy and her sister Brianna and the wider family.


Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
CHI apologises for delay in diagnosing liver cancer in toddler, who later died
Children's Health Ireland has unreservedly apologised for a delay in diagnosing childhood liver cancer in a little girl, who later died. Eveen Sheehy was only two and half years old when she died six years ago. The family's counsel, Oonah McCrann SC instructed by Niamh Ní Mhurchú solicitor, told the High Court it was their case there were 'multiple missed opportunities, missed diagnosis and a delay in treatment'. Eveen's family, counsel said, were 'tortured by the what if'. The case was before the court as the Sheehy family settled an action against Children's Health Ireland over Eveen's death. In a letter which was read to the court, Children's Health Ireland (CHI) unreservedly apologised for the delay in diagnosis and acknowledged the impact and trauma of Eveen's death on the family. The letter, which was signed by CHI chief executive Lucy Nugent added: 'We acknowledge and deeply regret the delay in Eveen's diagnosis and again would like to express our deepest condolences on the loss of your daughter.' Ciaran Sheehy, Tuam, Co Galway, had sued Children's Health Ireland over the death of his daughter, Eveen. Counsel told the court Eveen was born with a congenital heart condition and had a number of hospitalisations and surgeries. She said a CT scan in February 2018, which included some of the child's upper abdomen, was 'erroneously reported as normal'. Counsel said in October of that year, it was noted the little girl had an enlarged liver and it should have been fully investigated. Ms McCrann said Eveen had an MRI scan of her abdomen at the Crumlin children's hospital in May 2019, and the liver cancer diagnosis was made. She was started on chemotherapy but it was decided the little girl was not a candidate for liver resection or a liver transplant and to the 'enormous grief and distress of her family', she died on December 18, 2019. In the proceedings, it was claimed that in February 2018 while in CHI Crumlin, Eveen had a scan which showed some of the upper abdomen. The upper abdomen was recorded as 'unremarkable' when, it is claimed, the images showed an abnormality in the liver at the periphery of the CT scan. Had the abnormality, which was a 2cm rounded area, been noted and reported, it is claimed the baby would have undergone further scans, including an MRI and blood tests. It was contended that on the balance of probabilities Eveen would have had a diagnosis within a week or two. It was claimed there was a failure to report an abnormality in the liver at the periphery of the CT scan in February 2018. There was, it was claimed, a gross delay in the diagnosis of liver cancer, resulting in a consequent delay in the commencement of treatment and reduction in treatment options. Noting the settlement and approving the division of the €35,000 statutory mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a particularly tragic case. The judge extended his deepest sympathy to Eveen's parents, Ciaran and Sandra Sheehy, and her sister Brianna and the wider family.