Two hospitals have apologised for the failings in care of a young Cork boy whose brain tumour grew and went undetected for over 12 years.
Jack Doran, of Carrigaline in Cork, was only 15 years old when he died two days after the 10cm brain tumour was finally discovered after he was brought to hospital suffering from seizures.
The apologies from both hospitals, which acknowledged that an opportunity was missed to identify low-grade cells on Jack’s brain, were read to the court as his parents settled a High Court action over his death.
Outside the Four Courts, his devastated parents said their love for Jack was "to infinity and beyond", reflecting the autistic boy’s love of the film Toy Story.
“Thank you for being a great brother to Conor. You taught us so much in your short life – the true meaning of unconditional love. You are missed beyond words, our darling boy. Our love for you, Jack, is to infinity and beyond,” they said in a statement.
The Dorans also said there was a shortage of facilities to perform MRIs in Munster and this should be rectified “especially for our most vulnerable children.”
“We never want another family to go through what we’ve been through,” they said.
The family’s counsel, Liam Reidy SC, instructed by Orla Kelly of Cantillons Solicitors, told the High Court that Jack had a cyst on the brain which grew over the years and caused his death in 2021 when he was only 15.
Children’s Health Ireland sincerely apologised for the failings in Jack’s care and treatment at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Dublin, from 2008 to 2021.
Jack got his first brain scan at the Dublin hospital in 2008 when he was three years old.
It was claimed the scan was not reported correctly and Jack had been deprived of the chance to have at that stage the low-grade cyst resected, which would have allowed him to survive into adulthood.
In the apology which was read to the High Court, Children’s Health Ireland acknowledged “that an opportunity was missed to identify a low-grade glioma”, which is a collection of cells on the brain.
It said “had this diagnosis been made Jack would have been recommended for surveillance and sadly that opportunity was lost.”
Low-grade glioma
Children’s Health Ireland offered condolences to Jack’s parents and said it acknowledged “the pain and suffering that this has caused to you and your family.”
Mercy University Hospital Cork, in an apology read to the court, acknowledged that an opportunity was missed in 2020 when Jack was brought to hospital, after a fall, to identify a low-grade glioma which it said “would have resulted in early surgical intervention and which would probably have prevented Jack’s death."
It added: "We wish to extend our sincere apologies to you and your family for the failings in Jack's care and treatment and for the profound grief and loss you have all experienced."
The hospital chief executive, Ann Coyle, on behalf of the management and staff at Mercy University Hospital, also expressed sincere and deepest sympathy to the Dorans "for the devastating loss" of Jack.
David and Sarah Doran, of Carrignacurra, Carrigaline, Co Cork, sued Children’s Health Ireland and Mercy University Hospital, Cork, over the death of their 15-year-old son on March 5th, 2021.
Liability was admitted in the case. The details of the settlement are confidential.
Jack, who was autistic, was brought by ambulance to Mercy University Hospital on March 2nd, 2021, with seizures and vomiting.
A CT brain scan the next day showed the tumour which was more than 10cm in diameter.
Jack was transferred to the intensive care unit and a surgical procedure was carried out to relieve pressure on the brain. Jack died on March 5th, 2021.
In a statement outside the Four Courts, David and Sarah Doran said they were devastated by the loss of their beloved Jack, “stolen from us at the young age of 15 years.”
“Jack was our angel and we adored him. He was a beautiful happy boy, full of laughter and life. He had autism and was a softly spoken kind boy, loved by his family and friends and teachers,” they said.
They added: “We are heartbroken and without him, our sense of joy in life is gone. Our lives are changed forever.”
They said when their son died they did not know why he had died so suddenly, and they had many questions.
“We have now learnt that Jack died because there was a tumour growing in his brain which was missed. Jack had an MRI of his brain at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in September 2008 and the tumour which was operable at that stage was missed. Over the years he attended the Mercy University Hospital, Cork with symptoms.
“The simple step of performing a repeat MRI would have revealed the tumour in Jack’s brain was growing and he would be with us today.”
Noting the settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to the Doran family.
