Alan Bromyard, 48, said the NHS has refused to do surgery on a huge five-stone (about 70 pounds) lump hanging from his stomach, even though he has “almost died” because of it.
A man says he “nearly died” because of a five-stone lump hanging from his stomach, but the NHS is refusing to give him surgery to remove it.
Alan Bromyard, 48, from Long Eaton, Derbyshire, has lived with this large lymphedema for almost two years, and he says his condition is getting worse.
Even though the lump seriously affects his health and daily life, he has been denied surgery funding twice by the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). His condition became so severe that he got sepsis in mid-August and had to stay in the hospital for 14 days, including six days in the ICU.
He said, “I nearly died. It hangs down to my knees; it’s a mess and needs to be removed. They say the operation is cosmetic, so that’s why I can’t get funding. It’s a five-stone lump of fluid, and I can’t lose it by dieting. What do they expect me to do? I need help; I’m heartbroken.”
Because of his condition, Mr. Bromyard has had to give up things he loves, including his small herd of pedigree cows. He said, “I have farmed all my adult life, but I had to sell them because I couldn’t work with them anymore.”
“I used to go fishing or shooting most weekends, but now I just stay in bed. I can’t go up the stairs, and I can’t drive to my appointments. My knees and hips are hurting. I’m missing my life because of this. A nurse once told me it’s cruel to live like this, and that really stuck with me because it is.”
“It feels like I’m carrying a heavy toddler around all the time. The lump breaks down, leaks, and is just a mess. One week, I had to use £176 worth of bandages because it leaks so much.”
Mr. Bromyard said his requests for funding have been rejected twice, even though his surgeon said he would “greatly benefit from the surgery.” The letter for the application describes the need for “an apronectomy” (a surgery to remove excess skin from the lower abdomen) because he has a large amount of tissue that is seriously affecting his mood and daily life.
A response from the Derby and Derbyshire ICB says, “This request was reviewed by our screening team, which includes a Public Health Consultant and a representative from our board. This request has been declined.”
Since his rejection in July 2023, Mr. Bromyard’s surgeon has submitted another funding request, which was turned down in August. Mr. Bromyard says his surgeon, his GP, and the head of the lymphedema clinic at Nottingham University Hospitals, where he gets treatment, are now preparing a third request.
A spokesperson for NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB said, “We cannot comment on individual cases. Some treatments are not usually available on the NHS, and in those situations, people can ask for individual funding requests for services or treatments that aren’t part of regular services.
The funding application is made by the patient’s doctor, who must show that the situation is unusual. This process ensures that each request is looked at fairly and transparently, with decisions based on the best evidence and according to our individual funding request policy.”