Posted 10th Aug 2009
Kerry Greaves
An overweight mother died after having stomach surgery to lose weight because she feared her daughter would be bullied at school.
Ms Greaves failed to recover from gastric surgery
Kerry Greaves, from Tang Hall, York, underwent the gastric bypass operation so three-year-old daughter Melissa would not get teased.
The bypass procedure involves surgeons reducing the size of the stomach, causing weight loss.
However, the 30-year-old's stomach failed to heal after surgery and despite repeated operations to save her, she died on July 22.
Her mother Anne said: "Kerry never thought there would be any problems with the surgery and neither did we.
"She did it for her daughter. She didn't want her to be picked on at school. She didn't want things said to her like 'your mum's fat' and stuff like that."
"She had mates who had had the operation and they were fine. She thought if they are fine I will be fine."
Mrs Greaves urged people to think twice about undergoing the procedure in light of her daughter's shock death.
"There is a 50/50 risk, but you don't expect anything like this to happen," she said. "It is just not worth it."
Around 150 mourners attended Ms Greaves' funeral last Friday, and friends and family have also been paying tribute online.
On Gonetoosoon.org, friend Julie said: "Your family were so blessed to of had you in their lives, and especially your princess Melissa who will grow up with wonderful memories of a wonderful mum."
Another friend wrote: "My last words to u on facebook were u will b fine. told u 2 of my friends ad same op n they done well. feel awful yours went wrong. u ad so much to live 4. a beautiful girl lovin family lots friends."
A spokeswoman for York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "There are risks associated with all surgery and these are always explicitly explained to patients to allow them to make an informed decision about whether they want the procedure or not."
The spokeswoman said Ms Greaves would have been made aware of the risks involved and the possible consequences.
"Sadly, Kerry died of a known complication associated with this type of major surgery.
"There was no indication there was anything untoward with the procedure that was carried out."
