A cancer patient who proudly declared "nothing is going to stop me from going on holiday" tragically died on a luxury cruise after falling over and developing sepsis.
Lucille Thorne was battling stage four breast cancer when she set out on the cruise of a lifetime to Singapore on the luxury Azamara Quest Ship. But a few days before departing, Lucille slipped and fell at a resort in the Maldives where her trip started, an inquest heard.
In a heartbreaking revelation, the 68-year-old had unknowingly contracted sepsis, causing her to die just four days into the holiday. Her childhood friend Ann Thomas, who joined her on the trip told the inquest that Ms Thorne, from Hayling Island, Hampshire, was “courageous” and made an effort not to complain about any pain she felt. Ms Thomas added: "She really wanted to go on holiday and she had done all the research."
The 68-year-old had unknowingly contracted sepsis (Solent News & Photo Agency)
Anne Thomas, Miss Thorne's friend, found her unresponsive (Andrew Croft/Solent News)Portsmouth Coroners Court heard on November 18, 2022, how Ms Thorne said “nothing is going to stop me from going on holiday” when a family member raised concerns about her travelling whilst battling cancer.
The cancer patient suffered what would soon become a fatal fall on November 20. Ms Thomas explained: "We had been out sunning and we went in to make some coffee and it was when we were doing that Lucy slipped on the floor. Her feet went out from underneath her, it was her right side that she had fallen on. She didn't want me to phone reception and get the doctor but because of her situation I thought it was best to."
Tennis great Martina Navratilova diagnosed with throat and breast cancer
Ms Thomas, who called for help, said a nurse and doctor arrived before prescribing her antibiotics. She said: "[Her knee] looked very red and raw. It just didn't look right, it was starting to get blisters down to the ankle." Ms Thomas told how the nurse had burst ‘big’ and ‘sore’ blisters that had emerged on Ms Thorn’s legs before prescribing antiseptic cream to rub on her knee. Ms Thorn was said to be “uncomfortable” but was not the type to complain.
A few days later, the duo flew to Dubai and stayed in a hotel for one night before boarding the Azamara Quest Ship. Ms Thomas said: "She had been on an Azamara cruise before so - from what I gather - she enjoyed that so I think the cruise was probably something she was looking forward to. The Maldives was a nice bolt-on for us to start with."
While onboard the cruise, Ms Thorne began to walk slower. Ms Thomas said: "Every day we were away I was worried about her. I knew what I was taking on but I was worried. Firstly it was in relation to the knee with the blisters then really, how much she slowed down when we got to the ship. She never complained.
"When I say she was courageous... I would say 'Are you okay?', and she would say 'Yes, yes, I am fine'. She didn't moan about pain. She never did complain about anything to do with her health at all. [She was] very very stoic, a courageous lady."
Tragically, Ms Thomas woke on December 3 to find her friend unresponsive. She said: "I got up to go to the toilet and I touched her and she was cold and I went straight to the phone and rang 911." Emergency services attended and Ms Thorne was pronounced dead at around 4:30am.
Henry Charles, Assistant coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, ruled Ms Thorne's cause of death as being "accidental" and brought on by the fall, which caused sepsis. He told the inquest that Ms Thorne suffered from poor health but was not frail, and was looking forward to an "amazing" trip with her friend.
Mr Charles added there was a "clear level of deterioration" following Ms Thorne's tragic fall on November 29. He said: "In light of my findings, my conclusion is one of an accidental death."
He concluded by describing Ms Thorne as a "pretty amazing person" as agreed by her friends and family who attended the inquest.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
