One small package brought the sad news. It was inscribed with neat cursive hand: “Just to send you a little smile.” The envelope contained a rainbow brooch, handmade by Jess’ dear friend to raise funds for our healthcare workers. What her friend did not know, however, is that Jess was already ill. And that soon, she would be gone. Jess was a great admirer of NHS workers. Her Instagram profile picture had a rainbow background with the caption: “Seeing all the rainbows in the windows for all the NHS workers, absolute heroes (words can’t do you justice).”
In June 2020, Jess started experiencing abdominal pain. Despite contacting her GP on multiple occasions, she was diagnosed via a phone call with a urinary tract infection and prescribed antibiotics. Unfortunately, Jess did not get better. In fact, her symptoms worsened. She started experiencing extreme fatigue and intermittent fevers. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she developed a persistent cough. Meanwhile, healthcare professionals at her GP’s office stuck to their initial diagnosis: Jess had Covid-19. She was told she had “long Covid.”
As days turned into weeks, Jess’ condition deteriorated further. Her symptoms included acute postnasal drip, vomiting, and constant weight loss. Yet, healthcare practitioners at her GP’s surgery continued to assume she was not seriously ill. This assumption proved fatal.
When Jess was finally diagnosed, she had stage 4 cancer of an unknown primary. This meant that the cancer had spread so aggressively throughout her body that doctors could not identify where it originated. Her treatment began immediately, but it was too late. Jess died on 20th December 2020, just three weeks after her diagnosis.
In the wake of her unimaginable loss, Jess’ mother has dedicated her life to campaigning for change in her daughter’s name. The proposed Jess’s Law would require GPs to review a patient’s case after three consultations if their condition remains unresolved or if their symptoms are escalating and they still have no definitive diagnosis. “Three strikes and we rethink” is their motto. While some may argue that such a law is unnecessary and that good medical practice dictates that doctors should already be reviewing their diagnoses when a patient presents with the same or worsening symptoms, numerous accounts shared with Jess’ mother indicate that this is often not the case.
The lack of curiosity, proactiveness, and early diagnosis in Jess’ case has spurred her bereaved family to take action. Their tireless work and the outpouring of support for both the petition and their charity, the Jessica Brady CEDAR Trust, have already prompted meetings with both Matt Hancock and Steve Barclay. They will continue to meet with civil servants at the DHSC until action is taken. “Come on!”, they urge them. “How many more Jess’ will it take?”
