Andrew's Story

Description This is a moving story of how an ordinary family learnt to cope with the incurable, debilitating and often terminal disease of Pancreatitis. The first symptoms appeared when Andrew was just fifteen and after 20 years he lost complete pancreatic function. This robbed him of his job, wife, home and self-respect. Often mistaken for an alcoholic or drug addict, it was a constant struggle to receive any help. He could 'live on the streets as homeless without detriment, the same as any other homeless person'. This resulted in deep depression, self-harm and several suicide attempts. There is no justice. About the Author Like many people, Brenda Prentice does not like to see injustice. When her adopted son, who was chronically ill with 20 years of Pancreatitis, became homeless, he was told he could 'live on the streets as homeless like any other homeless person'. There was no help from Social Services, the Housing Authority or some Medics. She took up the issues with the Healthcare Ombudsman, Local Government Ombudsman and the Parliamentary Ombudsman to no avail and after five years all denied any wrong doing. The way he was treated brought further mental health problems of depression, self harm and attempted suicide.