Almost a year after the death of a Wespark teenager, who was treated for a possible overdose when rushed to the trauma unit at Kalafong Hospital, his post mortem results were released, revealing the devastating yet strangely comforting news that left his family shocked and speechless.
The family of 18-year-old Lucien Pillay of Maggs Street, wept uncontrollably, as the post mortem report indicated that the cause of death was cancer. Shortly after matriculating from Lotus Gardens Secondary School, Lucien was rushed to the hospital for incessant vomiting and lack of feeling in his legs.
Speaking with a heavy heart, his elder brother, Luvalan (22), said that when his brother arrived at the hospital, he was diagnosed as a possible overdose case, and even though the family told staff and doctors that he had not taken an overdose, the young Lucien was still treated for such and subsequently passed away the day after having been admitted.
“The doctors are always right and we need to listen to them,' we thought. We pushed him in his stretcher to his ward where he begged the nurses to bring him only vegetables as he was observing the fast for Kavady. The next day, he visited the psychologist in his dazed state and insisted that he had never taken any form of medication that could lead to an overdose. When we visited him later that day he began convulsing. We approached the nurses, who simply told us that we shouldn't worry because Lucien was 'faking' the fit due to his family being present,” the brother recalled sadly.
According to Luvalan, Lucien slipped into a coma shortly thereafter and passed away later that night (February 11, 2017).
The sad part is that the doctors did not administer the medication that my brother needed at the time, but instead treated him as an overdose case of possibly ingesting brake fluid. Despite the overdose diagnosis, we desperately hung onto the thought, at that time, that Lucien had passed away due to medical conditions.”
Distraught aunt, Indreshni Seebran (48) of Emerald Street, Laudium, said, “After the post mortem results revealed that Lucien suffered from Choriocarcinoma Metastasis, Luvalan (an employee at Standard Bank Pretoria) has now launched an organisation called the Brohelp Legacy, in order to keep his brother's legacy alive, by helping those diagnosed with cancer.
Attempts to obtain a comment from Kalafong Hospital proved futile at the time of going to print.
Saddened elder brother Luvalan Pillay is upset with Kalafong Hospital over the misdiagnosis.
File photo: The late Lucien Pillay.