Monument unveiled in honour of breast cancer patients

A new monument has been unveiled to remember the patients affected by the province's breast cancer testing scandal.

About 400 people in Newfoundland and Labrador were mistakenly denied potentially life-saving therapy due to laboratory errors.

The patients and their families have since settled their lawsuit with Eastern Health.

But the $90,000 monument, which was created by Ontario artist James C. Smith, aims to ensure the scandal is not forgotten.

"This is the first time any of us have seen the statue unveiled," said Marie Hickey, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2000 at the age of 42.

But poor pathology work ruled her out from receiving tamoxifen therapy.

The mistake was discovered in 2005 after Eastern Health began re-evaluating lab work.

"I was really shocked and angry," she said.

Hickey eventually received the correct therapy.

"I do feel like I lost five years of treatment that could've helped me. However, I haven't had any recurrences or any problems, so I feel very lucky in that regard."

Others not as fortunate

The same can't be said for patients like Donna Howell.

"This is not simply human error," Howell told CBC News in 2008. "There's simply more to it than that."

Howell, a former nurse, found out about the testing errors after undergoing a double-mastectomy — a procedure she may have avoided if she had received the right test results.

The Cameron inquiry highlighted problems with underqualified lab staff, poor procedures and a lack of quality control.

"If someone had asked me if, while I was working, could this have ever happened, I would've sworn on a stack of Bibles that it never could've," Howell said in 2008.

"It felt like Donna was looking down at Katie and I and it's finally over." — Darrell Howell

She died a year later.

Her husband and daughter attended the unveiling on Monday.

"It felt like Donna was looking down at Katie and I and it's finally over," Darrell Howell said. "All the chapters that we wanted done … it's closed now."

They followed along as the Cameron inquiry uncovered a corporate culture of secrecy and damage control at Eastern Health, resulting in a reluctance to publicly disclose the mistakes when they were discovered.

But Darrell Howell says he believes Eastern Health has learned.

"Not to cover up stuff — to let it out early. Not to hide it. It will come out eventually … as it did. But at least now it's being corrected."

Testing now meets highest standards: Kaminksi

The Newfoundland and Labrador experience also prompted a national call for pathology standards and quality assurance programs for all labs.

Eastern Health CEO Vickie Kaminski says pathology tests in the province now meet the highest standards.

"The commitment that we made to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador is that we will continue on the path of progress and our journey to safe quality care. We won't forget."

The lessons learned came too late for more than 100 patients who died before receiving the right treatment when they should have.