Grace Colbourne\u2019s story<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pullout Text: “I felt like a slave. How could I not even get a sponge bath, deodorant, a change of clothes?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hello, I’m Grace Colbourne. I’m Antiguan, I’m 37, and I have a military background. In September 2024, I was arrested for importation and pleaded guilty straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of last year, I noticed a lump in my breast. Being athletic, I thought it was a muscle strain. It was small, the size of a pea. I booked to see the prison GP in November, but I didn\u2019t get an appointment until late January. There isn\u2019t a GP on-site at HMP Bronzefield, the private prison in West London where I\u2019ve been remanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I finally saw Dr Syed, he referred me to a breast clinic. I kept checking in February but heard nothing. In March, I was taken to St Peter\u2019s Hospital. The consultant found the lump, ordered biopsies, and took blood. A week later, I was told I had cancer, though no one could tell me what type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They said the lump needed to be removed urgently. I wanted a double mastectomy, but they refused and insisted I didn\u2019t have a choice. On the day of surgery, the surgeon asked if I\u2019d chosen this operation freely. I told him I hadn\u2019t\u2014that I wanted a double mastectomy. He wanted to delay the operation, but I was so mentally and physically exhausted, I told him to proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The day before, I had a PET scan, which showed more cancer in my lymph nodes. No one told me I\u2019d be having surgery the next day. I wasn\u2019t prepared\u2014no shower, no pre-op wash. At 6am, an officer woke me for a hospital appointment. I was handcuffed in the taxi and chained during prep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even in the operating theatre, I was handcuffed. After surgery, I woke up in recovery with a drain in my arm, still in pain, still chained. I was sent back to prison the same day in tight clothing, without a post-op bra or looser clothes. I had to walk without a wheelchair. No nurse saw me on return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That evening, I began bleeding. I managed to press the cell bell. Officers just stared through the window. The nurse eventually gave me toilet paper. I passed out, hit my head, and lay there for over 20 minutes. A male officer lifted me up. The long-serving nurse wiped away all the blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At 10am the next day, I was finally taken to hospital. I was left in a hallway for hours and wasn\u2019t seen until 2am. They found my drain full of clots and swelling under my arm. I got painkillers at 4:05am and was moved to a ward. I couldn\u2019t walk, wasn\u2019t washed, and hadn\u2019t eaten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was in a bed, chained to an officer. Nurses gave me shampoo and nappies, but no help. I had to sponge-bathe with a drain in my arm and drip in my hand. I was given a tight gown and a cheese sandwich, even though I\u2019m vegetarian. I lived on biscuits and yoghurt. I felt ignored and neglected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Sunday evening, I refused morphine and received no alternative. The officer was concerned. On Monday, no one checked on me. I still had the drain and was still chained. I had to go to the restroom without help. I wasn\u2019t discharged until 5pm. Again, there was no vegan food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back at prison, I was still in pain. The cell hadn\u2019t been cleaned. I\u2019ve had constant infections and failed antibiotics. I still don\u2019t know what type of cancer I have. On 24 April, I told Dr Johnson about the swelling and pain. He just said to wait. I\u2019ve never seen a breast cancer nurse. I feel scared and alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On 27 April, I still had no information about chemotherapy or radiotherapy. I felt another lump. I have no family or friends here. I feel totally neglected. No special bra. No proper clothes. No real care. I’ve made countless complaints. No one is helping me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Department of Health and Social Care Response<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When contacted for comment, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese claims are shocking and we expect the CQC to take action when healthcare provision is not adequate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We recognise that many women in prison have complex needs and there is work to be done to address health issues for prisoners. The Chief Medical Officer\u2019s report on the overall health in prisons is due to be published this year and we will consider the recommendations and what action may be needed to improve care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Background:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grace Colbourne shares her terrifying experience of medical neglect inside HMP Bronzefield after her cancer diagnosis, revealing the brutal reality of healthcare for imprisoned women in England.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n