A MUM-of-three who has had a vital operation cancelled several times at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital has now developed terminal cancer and been told she has just weeks to live.

Gail Philpott who suffers from emphysema, has been waiting since November last year to have gall bladder surgery at the Woodrow hospital.

But a shortage of beds has seen the 56-year-old denied the surgery resulting in, first of all, serious ill health, then terminal cancer.

Gail, from Catshill in Bromsgrove, said: “If I had had the operation to have my gall stones removed I wouldn’t have developed terminal cancer and would be able to live the rest of my life.

“Instead, whatever time I do have left will be spent living in constant pain and on drugs, and what way is that to live?

“I think it’s absolutely disgusting what the hospital has done to me.

“What’s more is they haven’t even apologised for it. I’ve been sent letters with apologies about the cancelled operations but nothing else.”

The Advertiser reported in March how Mrs Philpott, who is reliant upon a daily cocktail of pain killers, wanted the operation so she could carry on with her life.

But after being sent by the Alex to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, she was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of bile duct cancer.

The only option available now is chemotherapy treatment, which will only extend her life for a short period.

Mrs Philpott, a full time carer for her husband John, 64, added: “I’ve found out more in the two weeks I’ve been going to the Queen Elizabeth than in the six months I spent visiting the Alex.

“Staff there have been really good to me and put me on stronger pain killers which is helping.

“I’ve been offered chemotherapy which I’m going to take but I know it won’t do any good.

“I’ve been told that it may extend my life for another month so the only option available really is to make the most of things before it’s too late.”

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the Alex, said that they were unable to say much as they had only just been made aware of Mrs Philpott’s condition.

“We were sorry to hear that Mrs Philpott has now been diagnosed with a serious illness,” they said.

“We do appreciate how distressing it is for patients when their operation is cancelled whether for health or capacity reasons.

“We would advise her to contact us directly so that we can investigate her concerns.”