A Gateshead mum has claimed her autistic son was "discarded like scrap metal" as he battled cancer after the hospital caring for him offered him end-of-life treatment.
Sharon Bourn, 54, was devastated after her son Robert was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 2020. Although he underwent surgery to remove the tumour, the cancer had spread and typical treatment required up to 72 hours of chemotherapy.
However, Sharon said it was "absolutely impossible" for Robert to receive this chemotherapy due to his complex needs. Robert, now aged, 32, has the genetic condition Fragile X syndrome and had been diagnosed with severe autism and a learning disability. He is non-verbal and is reliant on others to help care for him.
