BBC Scotland Information
BBCProsecutors have opened an investigation into the loss of life of a younger lady seven years after she turned critically in poor health with a hospital-acquired an infection in Glasgow.
Molly Cuddihy, 23, died within the excessive dependency unit of the Queen Elizabeth College Hospital (QEUH) within the metropolis on Tuesday.
In 2018 Molly developed septic shock whereas receiving most cancers therapy on the identical hospital campus, which is now on the centre of a public inquiry into questions of safety.
BBC Scotland understands her loss of life was reported to prosecutors by a marketing consultant after she was admitted once more final month and developed one other hospital-acquired an infection.
NHS Higher Glasgow and Clyde expressed its “deepest condolences” to Molly’s household however mentioned it was unable to touch upon the case because of affected person confidentiality.
Molly’s therapy for her earlier hospital acquired infections in 2018 and 2019, in addition to her chemotherapy, had left her with irreparable liver injury.
She additionally needed to bear a kidney transplant final November.
Taken collectively this meant the therapy choices after Molly’s latest admission to hospital have been restricted.
The reason for her loss of life has but to be established.
Three years in the past Molly gave evidence earlier than the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry about her experiences on the QEUH whereas present process chemotherapy as an adolescent.
The inquiry was arrange following security considerations on the web site and the deaths of two sufferers, together with 10-year-old Milly Main in 2017.
Its goal is to look at errors made within the planning, design and building of the QEUH and one other hospital web site in Edinburgh.
Molly instructed the inquiry how she turned critically in poor health in 2018 from an an infection acquired from an intravenous line used to manage her remedy.
‘Our valuable lady’
Molly’s household have led tributes to her, saying she was a younger lady who labored tirelessly to assist different younger most cancers sufferers, from fundraising to podcasting.
“It’s with damaged hearts that we share the passing of our beloved daughter Molly,” they mentioned in an announcement.
“She was a particular soul who introduced gentle, love, and kindness into the lives of so many round her.
“What we’ll at all times treasure is the best way she touched others; typically with out ever realising simply how really extraordinary she was.”
They added her legacy would by no means be forgotten.
The assertion concluded: “We’re devastated by her loss and struggling to grasp a world with out her mild presence.
“To us, she is going to perpetually be our valuable lady: deeply liked, irreplaceable, and at all times remembered.”
Affirmation of the Crown Workplace investigation got here lower than 24 hours after her loss of life.
A spokesman for the Crown Workplace and Procurator Fiscal Service mentioned: “The procurator fiscal has acquired a report on the loss of life of a 23-year-old lady in Glasgow on 26 August 2025.
“An investigation into the loss of life is ongoing and vital developments will probably be shared with the household all through the investigation.”
Molly, from Gourock, Inverclyde, was beforehand a younger ambassador for the Glasgow Kids’s Hospital Charity and had been working as a volunteer administrator earlier than she was admitted to the QEUH final month.
Earlier than becoming a member of the workers in March she had raised greater than £300,000 to enhance the lives of fellow most cancers sufferers on the adjoining Royal Hospital for Kids.
Final 12 months she helped launch a most cancers podcast, Radio Therapy, which lined themes together with psychological well being, physique picture and mortality.
Kirsten Watson, chief government of Glasgow Kids’s Hospital Charity, mentioned: “We’re heartbroken on the lack of our cherished good friend and colleague, Molly.
“Her devotion to serving to youngsters in hospital will at all times be remembered, and the braveness she confirmed all through her personal journey will stay an inspiration to us all.
“Our ideas are with Molly’s household and pals.”
Molly was 15 when she was recognized with metastatic Ewing sarcoma, in January 2018.
Final 12 months she instructed BBC Scotland Information how she knew one thing was unsuitable when the radiographer started crying throughout her scan.
{The teenager}, who was making ready for her Nationwide 5 exams, was transferred to A&E.
She was then given one other scan after which admitted to the Schiehallion ward on the Royal Hospital for Kids, which cares for kids and younger individuals with blood-borne illnesses and cancers.
Whereas later present process chemotherapy within the adjoining QEUH Molly skilled “scary” shivers that have been linked to a hospital-acquired an infection.
In 2021 she recalled her ordeal when she gave proof earlier than the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.
Then aged 19, she instructed how she was fitted with an intravenous line which later turned contaminated. The an infection then brought on temperature spikes and matches.
Molly instructed the inquiry she was not lengthy into her chemotherapy, and her physique went into septic shock – a life-threatening situation which causes a affected person’s blood stress to drop to a dangerously low stage after an an infection.
She additionally described shivering episodes – which brought on her temperature to rise – as “loopy”.
In the summertime of 2018 Molly was recognized with mycobacterium chelonae, a bacterial an infection in her line that she later found got here from the hospital atmosphere.
It was both air or water-borne and consultants believed it had in all probability brought on her temperature spikes and matches.
Molly mentioned she needed to take a “very sturdy” course of antibiotics she likened to bleach to deal with the an infection.
She instructed the inquiry: “The remedy had horrible side-effects. I believed chemo was unhealthy, however this was one thing else,” she mentioned.
“I obtained a chronic QT interval with my coronary heart.
“That is when my coronary heart pumps out the blood, however then does not replenish quick sufficient, so I might typically collapse.”
The £840m QUEH campus, which incorporates the Royal Kids’s Hospital, opened in 2015, however has confronted controversy over building and hygiene considerations.
Molly mentioned her docs and nurses have been simply as a lot in the dead of night as she was about the place the an infection got here from.
She instructed the inquiry: “I used to be made sicker by the atmosphere.”
Earlier in 2021, an independent review discovered 84 youngsters have been contaminated with uncommon micro organism whereas present process therapy, with a 3rd struggling a extreme well being impression.
It additionally concluded the deaths of two children have been a minimum of partly the results of infections linked to the QEUH atmosphere.
Final 12 months, Molly was certainly one of eight girls who shared their tales in a candid most cancers podcast.
She mentioned the sequence, produced by Glasgow-based Go Radio, have been each cathartic for the contributors and illuminating for his or her family members.
It was funded by Each Thank You Counts, a charity arrange by Molly and her good friend, Sara Millar, in 2019.
Since then, it has raised greater than £300,000 for a brand new pre-teen widespread room within the Schiehallion ward and ongoing enhancements, reminiscent of new loungers.
Molly instructed BBC Scotland Information one of many challenges she confronted as a most cancers affected person was being requested extremely private questions.
She mentioned: “Individuals overlook you’re a particular person and also you very a lot grow to be the sickness, particularly if you find yourself younger.”
The podcast highlighted the necessity for sufferers to “be egocentric” on the subject of speaking about their situation.
Molly mentioned a easy assertion from wellwishers, reminiscent of “I’m pondering of you” or “I’m right here”, goes a great distance.
She added: “Typically it is all you need and that’s such a comforting and wonderful message to learn.”
A spokesperson for NHS Higher Glasgow and Clyde mentioned: “Our deepest condolences are with the household of Molly Cuddihy throughout this extraordinarily troublesome time.
“To respect affected person confidentiality we’re unable to supply additional remark.”
