A 26-year-old registered nurse who was living with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer died unexpectedly and two months later her family is still searching for answers.
Shayla Wishloff’s mother said her daughter was taken by ambulance to an Edmonton hospital in November, where she died while waiting for help.
“She was a beautiful person and she did so much to help so many people, even when she was so sick,” Tamara Wishloff said.
Shayla was diagnosed in September 2019 with Stage 2 breast cancer – a Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma – and underwent months of chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, followed by six weeks of radiation.
That was not enough.
Despite the treatments, the aggressive cancer metastasized to other parts of Shayla’s body, including her lymph nodes, lungs and brain.
In October 2020, doctors told her she had reached stage 4, terminal and she did not have much time left.
She finally went to the US early last year to take part in a clinical trial in New Hampshire.
Read more:
Alberta nurse with terminal breast cancer accepted in US clinical trial
She returned home to Edmonton, where she was hit by a roadblock seven months later. One day in November 2021, she was in medical distress and needed help.
“We had a medical problem for which we called an ambulance,” Tamara Wishloff said.
Tamara Wishloff said Shayla was dependent on oxygen and did get on her way to the University of Alberta Hospital for a while.
But paramedics said supplies were scarce, Tamara said, and they eventually had to get more oxygen from another nearby ambulance.
After waiting 15 minutes, Shayla entered a room inside the hospital while her mother waited outside.
“I looked at her and she said, ‘Please help me, I can not breathe,’ and I realized she was not connected to her oxygen,” Tamara said.
Tamara said in shock that she shouted at the staff.
“I think they ran to get a different kind of mask and they tried to attach it to the wall and at that point she stopped breathing.”
Shayla passed away that day, on November 9th.
“I did ask them how it could happen, because they were all there and I have not yet received an answer,” Tamara said.
In a statement to Global News, Alberta Health Services wrote: “Our thoughts are with the patient’s family and loved ones during this difficult and emotional time. We met with this family and discussed all concerns, and also began a formal review process.
“The review process, which is ongoing, will continue to involve this patient’s family and all care teams for this patient. We will continue to share updates with the family and share findings once the investigation is complete. ”
AHS added due to patient privacy and confidentiality, it could not comment further on the case or ongoing review.
The information is important for the grieving family, but will come too late.
“It’s something I’ll be asking myself for the rest of my life now – how much more time would we have had?”
Shayla shared her journey on social media and gained thousands of followers on her Instagram account, Pink Cancer Girl. Her mother said her advocacy helps many people who are fighting cancer.
– With files by Karen Bartko and Su-Ling Goh, Global News
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Reference-globalnews.ca