Parents sue doc, KKH over teen's death

[Zangief]

Dec 30, 2010

Parents sue doc, KKH over teen's death

Patient died a day before scheduled treatment for leukaemia

By K. C. Vijayan, Law Correspondent

Mr Cao at his son's wake in January last year. Yuanchi was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer and died from massive bleeding in the brain. His chemotherapy could not start immediately as he was also battling a bacterial infection which had to be treated first. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA

THE parents of a teenage leukaemia patient, who died five days after he was admitted into KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), are suing the hospital and the attending doctor for alleged negligence.

The couple are arguing that their son Cao Yuanchi, then 14, should have received appropriate treatment sooner, given how gravely ill he was.

The hospital and Dr Chan Mui Yoke, a senior consultant, are disputing the claims and mounting their defence.

Yuanchi, a student at Raffles Institution (RI), was admitted to the hospital on Jan 13 last year with bruises on his right ankle and knee, rashes and fever.

The diagnosis was confirmed two days later: He had a rare form of blood cancer known as acute promyeloctic leukaemia (APL), and was slated for chemotherapy and a treatment using all-trans retinoic acid (Atra).

But the treatment plan, discussed with his parents on Jan 15 along with the diagnosis, could not start immediately, because it emerged that the boy was also battling a bacterial infection.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
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[Chun Li]

Jun 2, 2011

IN THE ST NEWSPAPER TODAY
Leukaemia boy's death: KKH settles suit
Parents had filed suit when he died 5 days after admission

By K. C. Vijayan, Law Correspondent

Mr Cao Sheng Fa, the father of Cao Yuanchi, at his son's wake in January 2009. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA

THE parents of a 14-year-old leukaemia victim and the KK Women's & Children's Hospital (KKH) have settled an alleged-negligence suit out of court.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the parents of the late Cao Yuanchi had sought $1.8 million in damages in the statement of claims supporting their suit; this included the loss of whatever money their son, a Raffles Institution scholarship student, would have have given them from his eventual earnings to support them in their old age.

The defendants, the hospital and Dr Chan Mui Yoke, had asked the High Court last month to assess the compensation payable to the boys' parents, on condition that the hospital and the doctor are not found liable for Yuanchi's death.

But the parents, Mr Cao Shengfa and Madam Ma Wenying, objected to the application, describing it as a 'complete farce' in court documents filed. Assistant Registrar Ang Ching Pin then threw out the application, which sent the two parties into private negotiations.

Lawyers said there have been medical negligence cases in which the medical defendants were allowed to settle for damages to be assessed without admission of liability on their part - but it was possible because the suing party consented to it.

Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
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