Marissa Laimou, a 28-year-old Greek heiress and former breast cancer patient, was found dead in her London flat a day after being discharged from University College London Hospital (UCLH), where she had been admitted following a visit to an oncology clinic. Her family alleges that she suffered a toxic reaction from an insect bite, leading to her tragic death, and they are now considering legal action against the NHS for what they claim was negligent care.

According to relatives, Marissa had recently returned from a holiday in Greece when she began feeling unwell, developing symptoms such as dizziness, itching, and a high fever of 39°C. She initially called for an ambulance on the night of 9 September but decided to wait until the following morning to seek further treatment. On 10 September, after visiting Leaders in Oncology Care, where she had previously received chemotherapy, she was sent by ambulance to UCLH for urgent attention.

At the hospital, it is reported that nurses performed blood tests and administered fluids via a drip, but Marissa was not examined by a doctor before being discharged with antibiotics just four hours later. Her family disputes the adequacy of this assessment, stating that her oncologist would not have deemed the situation urgent enough to warrant ambulance transport had it not been serious. A family member told MailOnline that no doctor had personally examined her, and the medical staff failed to treat her condition with the seriousness it required.

During her time at UCLH, Marissa reportedly sent messages to a friend expressing distress and frustration at the apparent lack of monitoring and care. She wrote, "Nobody is checking up on me, nobody is coming, I don't know where they are, I'm still itching, I feel dizzy, I don't feel well." The following day, 11 September, her housekeeper discovered her lifeless in the Knightsbridge home she shared with her parents.

The coroner's office has confirmed that an investigation has been opened, with the initial diagnosis citing "toxic effect of venom," suspected to be from an animal or insect bite, as the cause of death. No inquest has yet been held. Marissa’s family, part of the prominent Greek Lemos shipping dynasty, expressed shock and grief over the loss. Her great-aunt described her as kind, modest, and deeply involved in the arts, noting her background in musical theatre training in New York and the University of Arizona, as well as her recent leading role in a London production of Romeo and Juliet.

The circumstances of Marissa’s death have raised concerns about the level of care provided by NHS services and the protocols followed when dealing with urgent but perhaps less typical medical presentations like insect bites causing systemic toxic shock. Reports indicate that she was turned away without full evaluation at two hospitals before her fatal discharge from UCLH.

While the family prepares to pursue legal action, the tragedy highlights the critical importance of thorough medical assessment and observation, especially for patients presenting with complex symptoms and prior serious health issues, such as cancer. The Independent has reached out to UCLH and Leaders in Oncology Care for comment, but they have yet to respond.

This case underscores ongoing debates about NHS resource pressures and hospital discharge practices, with patient safety and accountability under close scrutiny as investigations continue.

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Source: Noah Wire Services