A MUM-OF-ONE who was diagnosed with breast cancer killed herself despite being given the all-clear, an inquest has heard.
Alison Douglas, 48, was crippled by fears her breast cancer would return, despite doctors telling her she had a 70 per cent chance of survival over the next decade.
She had been battling anxiety and depression for 10 months following her diagnosis and was unable to accept the disease had gone.
The mum-of-one was found dead at her home in Hull, East Yorkshire, on April 17 this year.
An inquest at Hull Coroner's Court heard she had tried to take her life on two previous occasions and had self-harmed.
Dale, her husband of 31 years, told the hearing she was a "very kind, funny person, who was popular with others".
He said: "Alison worked at Humdinger and loved her work and used to run a lot of charity events and events for mothers.
"When she was 17, she met me when we both worked at Masterprint and we married in August 1993 and enjoyed holidays and long weekends together.
"Alison was born to parents unknown and was adopted as a baby. She was born with an underdeveloped kidney and had water infections and problems with her kidney throughout her life.
"She was always smiling and had a happy childhood and had lots of friends.
"She was mad on animals but was restrained by her allergies as to the pets she could have. She was a big lover of giraffes and adopted a giraffe from Chester Zoo for our son.
"Alison liked schools and her favourite subjects were maths and baking. She was a leader and a good planner."
Mrs Douglas had been receiving help from a mental health service in Hull since November 2018 following her cancer diagnosis in June of the same year.
She told staff there that since her diagnosis she had to give up work, which made her feel "worthless and a waste of space" while she felt "overwhelmed by simple tasks".
At one point her anxiety was so bad she told staff she felt like she was having "acid thrown on her body".
After having three operations to remove the tumour, Mrs Douglas was worried about the future, had a loss of confidence and was not sleeping.
YOU'RE NOT ALONE
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
A report was commissioned by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to find out if the support Mrs Douglas received for her mental health problems was sufficient.
It was found health professionals had done everything in their power to help her.
Senior coroner Professor Paul Marks concluded Mrs Douglas had ended her own life on April 17 this year.
Toxicology results showed no alcohol or illicit drugs were found in Mrs Douglas's system.
Professor Marks said the death was "tragic and ironic" due to her being clear of cancer and because it was "more likely than not that Alison would be alive and well 10 years hence" due to her prognosis.
He said: "This is a most unfortunate case and I have considered the conclusion very carefully.
"The key point in finding a conclusion of suicide is showing intent and that the deceased knew that their actions would result in the ending of their life.
"I have no doubt that Alison's actions showed that she intended to end her life, so I find a conclusion of suicide.
"It is tragic and ironic that it is more likely than not that due to being given the all clear, predictions showed Alison would still be here, alive and well 10 years hence."
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