'I went through 13 year of gruelling chemotherapy for nothing - a bungling medic wrecked my life'

A man who underwent almost 15 years of unnecessary exhausting chemotherapy after a huge NHS error says his life has been ruined by what legal experts call "extreme negligence".

Andrew Whitehead became unwell in September 2010 after reporting severe neck pain, neurological symptoms and a sudden loss of sensation. An MRI scan identified a tumour within his cervical spinal cord, and he underwent emergency neurosurgery at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire to remove part of it.

Following that surgery, tissue from the tumour was analysed by pathologists at University Hospitals Birmingham and he was diagnosed with an anaplastic astrocytoma, a malignant and aggressive tumour. Andrew was told he had a serious, life‑limiting cancer and was told he would be placed on a course of intensive treatment.

Within weeks, the man, from Redditch, Worcestershire, underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy and his treatment didn't stop and for years he continued to be prescribed monthly cycles of Temozolomide chemotherapy - but all along repeated MRI scans showed no progression of the tumour.

In 2024, more than 13 years after his original diagnosis, Andrew’s tumour tissue was re‑examined following the retirement of the professor who initiated treatment on him after his treatment and care were taken over by new oncologists. A detailed review concluded that the tumour was not a high-grade malignancy as previously thought - and the finding were consistent with a low‑grade tumour, likely a pilocytic astrocytoma.

Tearful Andrew has spoken to The Mirror about the impact the error has had on him and said: "I lived for 13 and a half years thinking I could die, and it's ruined my life. I put everything on hold and just focused on trying to stay alive.

"When I was first told about the lowering of the grade of the tumour, I was honestly relieved. I thought I'm not in such a precarious spot now, that I could relax a little bit.

"But after I left the consultation I got in the car, and I just thought, started to think things over in my own mind, just thinking 'this is not right, what's happened to me for all these years - something is majorly wrong here' and I couldn't get it out of my head.

"I don't know why it happened. Was someone not very good at their job? Maybe it's some sort of clinical trial? Or if it's just incompetence or were they just lazy?

"It was going on for a third of my life. I've been living in fear for all this time, it's destroyed my life I would say. I don't have a life now, it's as simple as that.

"I have not been able to work since my diagnosis. I became very unwell because of the treatment, I was told they needed to throw the kitchen sink at it. All along I was fine and didn't need it."

Andrew is one of a number of patients who have come forward. Independent law firm Brabners said it was one of several cases of incorrect overdiagnosis as legal action is launched.

Partner Fiona Tinsley has accused the Trust of trying to cover it up.