robin mc g ee was 46 years old and knew that she had a family history of colorectal cancer when she went to see her doctor in nova scotia about rectal bleeding. she was told not to worry, that the bleeding was probably the result of an antibiotic reaction. but when the symptoms disappeared for a few weeks, and then returned worse than before, she sought a second opinion.
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according to the canadian patient safety institute (cpsi), medical mistakes account for 28,000 deaths yearly , according to the canadian patient safety institute. while the most common error has to do with medications — either the wrong dose, or wrong kind, or there is a missed allergy — misdiagnoses are also accounted for in this alarming statistic.
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daniela pacheco, an associate lawyer with the medical malpractice group at neinstein personal injury says that the most common misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses tend to happen with infections, cancers and strokes.
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she continues to advocate for patient safety, cancer care, and err and apology practices in the province. mcgee’s book, the cancer olympics, which chronicles her misdiagnosis, has won multiple awards, including the feathered quill book awards silver medal for best inspirational in 2016. half of the proceeds from the sale of this book go to the canadian cancer society and the colorectal cancer association of canada.
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