Simon Pearson underwent 42 gruelling procedures before the mistake was uncovered
A father suffered seven years of “unnecessary” and punishing treatment after blundering doctors wrongly diagnosed him with terminal cancer. Simon Pearson, 41, was repeatedly treated after doctors told him his severe fatigue was a sign of a rare and incurable illness.
He was diagnosed with polycythaemia vera, a slow-growing blood cancer, after being referred to George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton with elevated red blood cell counts and abnormal iron levels. He was also told he was suffering from haemochromatosis, a genetic condition that can cause organ damage through toxic iron build-up in the body.
Believing he had fatal cancer, Simon – who has a phobia of needles – endured 42 injections to remove blood from his body. It was only more than seven years later, during a routine appointment last June, that a nurse flagged concerns. Tests subsequently confirmed he had none of the conditions.
Simon has now launched legal action with medical negligence solicitors Irwin Mitchell after the Trust admitted a breach of duty. It acknowledged that appropriate care could have prevented 42 procedures carried out between 2017 and 2025.
The business director is now seeking support to address the psychological impact as well as losses including earnings and increased insurance costs.
A separate patient safety investigation found he was “subjected to clinical practice that has caused harm” and uncovered no medical evidence to support the diagnoses. Simon, who lives with his wife Rachel, 41, and their sons Alfie, 19, and Freddie, 16, says he was left “terrified” he would die.
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He said: “For years I was in and out of hospital, believing I had a condition that could eventually kill me – sometimes lying awake all night, terrified.
“There was also the fear that it was genetic and something I could pass on to my children. I felt so guilty and constantly worried about their future.
“I had no reason to dispute anything that I was told and put my trust in the doctors. Then to be suddenly told I may not have any of the conditions came as a complete shock. I keep asking myself how could this have gone on for so long? I still can’t quite believe how care I didn’t need went on for so long.
“Throughout that time I suffered from side effects including headaches and fatigue. My quality of life and ability to work were affected, and I struggled to provide for my family. I’m still struggling to come to terms with the fact it was all a mistake. At times, it feels like I’ve lost my sense of reality. I’ve always had a real phobia of needles, so repeatedly having blood taken from me was traumatic.
“I want to share my story to raise awareness in the hope that something is done to improve care standards. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I’ve been through.” His solicitor, Victoria Zinzan, said: “Simon spent years believing he was living with a serious and potentially life-limiting illness, undergoing repeated and inappropriate hospital procedures, which caused him harm.
“The past few years have taken a significant financial, physical and emotional toll on Simon who remains shocked and upset at what he’s had to endure. Although nothing can make up for what he’s been through, we welcome the Hospital Trust’s early admission of liability and are now working with the Trust to ensure Simon has access to the support he requires to try and move forward with his life.
“However, worrying failings have been identified in Simon’s care and it’s vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety.”
The hospital has since issued a formal apology to Simon, confirming that steps have been put in place to prevent a similar misdiagnosis from occurring in future. Dr Naj Rashid, chief medical officer for George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, said: “I would like to offer our sincere apologies to Mr Pearson for the failings in the care he received from us.
“Mr Pearson’s care had undoubtedly fallen below our usually high standards and caused significant distress to him. We are working with him to ensure he has our full support going forward.
“The Trust has carried out a thorough investigation into what went wrong and have put in place actions to address issues identified to ensure this is not able to happen again.”
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