Saving Lives in Leeds viewers were left heartbroken last night (March 22) over the “shock” death of 67-year-old patient Trevor, who was anxious over his surgery.
The episode focused on plastic surgeons Chris West and Jill Baker, who were operating on Trevor’s rare sarcoma.
Sarcoma is a rare type of soft tissue cancer which was found on Trevor’s lower leg.
But Trevor’s anxiety meant that he was very nervous about the surgery, and he had “discharged himself from the hospital on several previous occasions”.
Trevor’s sad admission before surgery: ‘My anxiety is horrendous’
Trevor brought his son, Sam, to hospital with him to try and help calm his anxiety in Saving Lives in Leeds.
As soon as they arrived to the surgical unit, Trevor admitted: “My anxiety is horrendous.”
His son Sam said: “Calm down, be brave.”
Trevor admitted: “My stress levels… I can just feel it in my chest.”
Trevor previously had an operation to remove what doctors thought was a cyst on his leg. But a biopsy showed it was actually a high-grade sarcoma.
Doctors in Leeds wanted to operate on Trevor to remove the rest of the tumour.
Specialist Chris West admitted that sarcomas are so rare that “the average GP will probably only see one sarcoma their entire career”.
As Trevor and his son Sam separated for his surgery, Sam told him: “Be brave, I will see you tonight, I will see you later.”
Trevor asked: ‘If I didn’t have it done, would it kill me?”
Chris West admitted it was a “challenging” and “life-threatening” surgery.
And, due to Covid-19 restrictions, Trevor’s son Sam was unable to be with his father on the ward.
They were worried that Trevor would try to discharge himself from hospital again.
Later in the episode, Trevor struggled with the stress of waiting for the operation.
If I didn’t have it done, do you reckon it would kill me?
He told the nurses: “I’ve had anxiety for the last 15 to 20 years off and on. I haven’t slept in a month. I’ve been dreaming about you cutting my leg off and waking up yelling no.”
He later asked surgeon Jill Baker: “If I didn’t have it done, do you reckon it would kill me?”
Jill said that it was likely that the cancer would spread if the sarcoma wasn’t removed.
Saving Lives in Leeds viewers heartbroken over Trevor’s death
Trevor finally went into surgery to have his sarcoma removed. Trevor survived the surgery, and thanked the surgeons for his operation.
He said: “I think I’m doing really well.”
The sarcoma was removed, and Trevor was discharged.
But at the end of the episode, it was revealed that Trevor had sadly passed away.
A statement read: “Four months after surgery, further scans revealed that the cancer had spread to Trevor’s lungs. He died soon after.”
Many viewers were heartbroken by the revelation at the end of the BBC Two episode.
One viewer wrote: “Oh no! Trevor died. That is so sad, bless him. I felt for him being so anxious.”
Another viewer added: “Bit of a shock at the end… bless him.”
Someone else said: “Poor Trevor… that’s so sad.”
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