THE mother of a young woman who died from cancer has voiced concerns about her treatment.

The speed cancer patients are treated in Colchester has been one of the concerns raised by the health watchdog Monitor.

Leala Milleare died in June, aged just 29, after a five-year-fight against the illness.

She was first referred to a gynaecologist at Essex County Hospital in 2004, but it took three years for her cancer to be diagnosed.

Her mother Jill, 54, said: “The initial tests didn’t go far enough, so by the time it was discovered, the cancer had grown 5mm into her womb.

“She was under the care of a consultant, the people we thought were the best at their jobs. As a mum, I thought if something is wrong, then a consultant would be the person to find it.”

After a hysterectomy in December 2007, at Ipswich Hospital, Leala was given the all-clear.

However, by October 2008 she had begun to feel unwell again and tests showed the cancer had spread to her liver and lungs. She began treatment at Essex County Hospital again.

Mrs Milleare, of Arnold Road, Clacton, said: “They told us the route it had taken meant it was probably there when she had the hysterectomy. They just didn’t scan high enough.

“The treatment wouldn’t have been any different, but I wish when cancer is discovered, they would do a full scan so you have a clear picture on the table.

“The end result would have probably been the same, but I wish we had known sooner.

“The main problem in our case was it seemed like a jigsaw, but they didn’t have all the pieces together at any one time.”

Mrs Milleare said once her daughter was diagnosed, the hospital acted quickly.

She said: “It seems a long time when you’re going through it, but it was only a matter of weeks.

“She had the surgery, which was wonderful, but then the follow-up care was disastrous.

“She didn’t get the pain relief she required and she had been on a high dose of morphine before the operation.

“The staff are wonderful. I can’t fault them, but they are working under difficult circumstances.

“Really, oncology needs a new unit and more staff.

“There were four nursing staff looking after 30 patients when Leala was there, which just isn’t enough as cancer patients are on the increase.”

The family are considering taking legal action against Colchester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which was unavailable to comment.