Hospital apologises to woman for cancer diagnosis delay

University Hospital Galway has apologised to a 28-year-old woman for deficiencies in radiology care after her diagnosis of cancer was delayed for two years.

Michelle Craughwell from Tuam in Co Galway had an early stage cancer of her adrenal gland when she had a scan at the hospital in 2023.

However, the scan was not reported properly and her cancer was not diagnosed until two years later, by which time it was Stage 4 with metastasis.

Her counsel Jonathan Kilfeather SC instructed by Damian Tansey Solicitors told the High Court that if a scan of Ms Craughwell's pelvis and abdomen in 2023 at the Galway hospital had been read correctly, she could have had surgery.

An apology from University Hospital Galway was read to the court after she settled a High Court action against the HSE over the delay in her cancer diagnosis.

Outside court, Ms Craughwell said she hoped what happened to her would not happen to others.

While really disappointed and "a little bit let down", she was also grateful for all the support she had.

She said she was really grateful for the apology from the hospital "but most importantly I am really disappointed my cancer was not picked up in 2023".

"It has been really hard for myself and my family to go through all this turmoil for something that could have been an easy fix at the very beginning.

"I was back and forth to the Galway hospital so many times and either I wasn’t listened to or reports were not read right."

In an apology read to the court, the general manager of the hospital, Chris Kane, said: "On behalf of University Hospital Galway, we would like to sincerely and unreservedly apologise for the deficiencies in radiology care in 2023 which led to the delay in diagnosis of your adrenal cortical carcinoma.

"We wish to acknowledge the upset and distress that this has caused you, and we do not underestimate the challenges that you are facing. We deeply regret this and offer you our sincere apologies."

Ms Craughwell had sued the HSE claiming there was a failure to report the July 2023 scan to the standard expected of a consultant radiologist and a failure to report the right adrenal mass which was significant and visible at that time.

It was contended that the cancer was confined to the adrenal gland in July 2023 and was Stage 1, but when diagnosed in 2025 it was Stage 4 cancer with metastasis.

Noting the settlement, Mr Justice Coffey sympathised with Ms Craughwell for everything she had gone through and wished her all the best for the future.