An investigation into the infected blood scandal listening to victims



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Two women whose husbands have died and a man who has kept his secret hepatitis C diagnosis for 34 years have investigated the consequences of infected blood transfusions on their lives.

The Infected Blood Survey investigates the scandal that patients receiving tainted blood in the 1970s and 1980s caused about 2,400 deaths.

Karisa Jones, whose husband, Geraint Jones, suffered a "horrific death" in 2012 after being diagnosed with hepatitis C, unknowingly pbaded on information about his first day of hearing in Cardiff .

Mr. Jones, a director of a frozen food company, was crushed by a forklift in 1990, resulting in under-knee amputation and several blood transfusions. Emergency at Morriston Hospital Swansea.

Karisa Jones testifies at the investigation into infected blood in Cardiff
Karisa Jones testifies to the investigation of infected blood in Cardiff (Infected Blood Survey)

But in April 2012, they were put on alert when Mr. Jones started throwing up blood.

The couple was summoned for a meeting with doctors and learned that an badysis had shown that Mr. Jones had a "mbadive tumor" in the liver and that he had also contracted hepatitis C, leaving him only a few months to live.

As a precaution, their family was tested for the virus. Only Mrs. Jones said she contracted this virus from her husband.

Ms. Jones from Pontardawe, near Swansea, said, "He was yellow, his eyes were yellow. It was a skeleton of man. He could not eat. He vomited blood all the time.

"I have never seen such a horrible death in my life. He suffered. He fought and he suffered.

Mr. Jones died in the arms of his wife at the age of 50 on September 28, 2012, less than six months after diagnosis.

An investigation revealed that he had died of cirrhosis of the liver caused by hepatitis C.

Ms. Jones stated that she thought the doctors had missed the opportunity to detect her infection, which would have also alerted them to that of her husband when she had been hospitalized in previous years, even in 2000 when she had had flu-like symptoms and tests had shown that her liver results were high. .

Gerald Stone, 75, told the inquiry commission that it was the first time that he was publicly speaking of being infected with hepatitis. He and his wife kept it secret, even from his own children for 34 years.

The retired administrator, who needs blood transfusions to treat his hemophilia problem, said he was infected in 1985, when he first received a new lot of blood called Profilnine from the United States.

Gerald Stone after his testimony to the board of inquiry into infected blood in Cardiff
Gerald Stone after testifying at the Cardiff Infected Blood Survey (Adam Hale / PA)

He was tested positive for hepatitis C three times between 1990 and 1992, but the results were hidden and he was not diagnosed until 1993.

Rhondda Cynon Taff, member of Tonyrefail, said: "Until now, it has never been made public. It's sad to hear how people are ostracized from society. I had two girls at the time in school. We could have stopped playing with other children because of me, so I adopted the policy that we would keep it for ourselves.

"This was kept confidential, so I did not suffer the indignity of being ostracized by members of the public."

Mr. Stone was rid of the virus in 2016 and has since been campaigning for compensation for hemophiliacs who contracted hepatitis C from infected blood.

Sue Sparks said her husband, Les Sparks, also a hemophiliac, died of HIV at the age of 58 in March 1990.

She stated that she thought she had contracted the virus following a blood transfusion in 1984 and was unaware that he had been screened for HIV and AIDS before being diagnosed in September. 1985.

Sue Sparkes testifies to the investigation into infected blood in Cardiff
Sue Sparkes testifies to the investigation of infected blood in Cardiff (investigation of infected blood)

Ms. Sparkes said, "We would have been interested if something like that had happened because we were trying to have a baby and trying to get pregnant."

She added, "As far as he's concerned, he was a murderer and there was something about him that could kill people and he would not go back to treatment."

Ms. Sparkes testified that this ordeal "broke" her family's life and removed her from her two grown-up sons.

She said, "The children have lost a father. He missed the marriages of his sons, his granddaughter.

"It ruined my relationship with my children. It is not as strong as many people with their children, and I do not think it will ever be because of what I did to them when they grew up, because I just could not cope with it.

"This has completely upset our lives and I would like to thank everyone present for doing so because I think it is important to us all."

The Sparkes photographed in March 1990 with his two sons
The Sparkes photographed in March 1990 with his two sons (family photo)

The inquiry is chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, a former High Court Judge, who promised to put people at the heart of the investigation.

He told the audience that the scandal was "the biggest NHS history treatment disaster".

Sir Brian said, "We do not have the precious time because people continue to suffer and die. But those who are not heard orally during this week and those from other centers who wish to be heard, but for whom he does not have time to speak orally, will be heard. "

Two previous surveys have been described as whitewash by activists.

Witness hearings have already taken place in London, Belfast, Leeds and Glasgow.

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