Woman dies after nine-month wait for cancer results

A mother of three died after waiting nine months for cancer test results, an inquest heard, with the delay reducing her chances of successful treatment. Sarah Daniels, 43, from Porth, south Wales, was eventually diagnosed with a rare and aggressive appendix cancer that had spread to her ovary. The pathology department at Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board was "completely overwhelmed by demand" due to a Covid backlog and a "deluge" of work, according to biomedical scientist Martin Ludlam. Consultant Mohamed Khalifa said the nine-month delay between surgery and histology was "unacceptable" and that earlier treatment could have altered when she died. Daniels underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and private treatment at the Christie cancer centre in Manchester after her diagnosis, but the cancer returned months after she was given the all clear. She died in April 2025, with the coroner recording a narrative conclusion that the delay reduced her chance of chemotherapy success and affected her quality of life.