A mother devastated by the loss of her daughter shared her heartbreak after the little girl passed away from cancer, which was initially detected as a lump on her face.
Kayleigh Reid noticed a small mass while bathing her daughter, Delilah-Rai Reid-Floyd, in January. Concerned, she promptly arranged a doctor’s visit the following day. The GP then referred Delilah-Rai to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.
In the following days, Kayleigh and her partner were accused of harming their child, which she disclosed to BlackCountryLive.
Upon finding the lump, Kayleigh was apprehensive but initially considered it could be a cyst. The GP’s referral for non-accidental injury led to Delilah-Rai being sent to Russells Hall Hospital. Despite this, the lump was not thoroughly examined, and the parents were unfairly suspected of causing harm.
After a CT scan, doctors diagnosed Delilah-Rai, who had recently turned one, with a paranasal cystic lesion. Kayleigh was informed that her daughter would be referred to an ENT specialist within a week. However, a follow-up two weeks later revealed the referral had not been made, leading to delays in Delilah-Rai’s care.
Subsequently, Delilah-Rai was scheduled to see an ENT doctor in April, causing the facial mass to grow unchecked. Following further consultations and delays, a biopsy was recommended for July 16. However, the surgery was canceled on August 5 in favor of chemotherapy, as the diagnosis shifted to soft tissue cancer.
Tragically, Delilah-Rai succumbed to the illness shortly after, leaving her family shattered. Kayleigh expressed frustration at the delays and misdiagnoses, believing that earlier intervention could have improved her daughter’s chances of survival.
She is pursuing legal action against the hospitals involved and advocates for increased awareness of the disease. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family during this difficult time.
Representatives from the healthcare institutions expressed condolences and assured investigations into the circumstances surrounding Delilah-Rai’s care, promising to learn from the situation to prevent similar occurrences in the future.