Overview
- Annabel Croft gave a MailOnline interview published this week in which she described a nurse who she says mocked her son, told the family Mel had only “hours” left, and said “we are not resuscitating him.”
- Croft says her husband Mel Coleman, who died of colon cancer in May 2023 about 16 weeks after diagnosis, had made clear he did not want a do-not-resuscitate order and that she supported his wishes.
- She praised many other nurses who cared for Mel as “angels” but says the single encounter left her traumatised and has kept her awake at night remembering the nurse’s tone.
- The reports are based on Croft’s retrospective account to MailOnline and were republished by multiple outlets, and none of the articles include a response from the hospital, the nurse, or independent verification.
- The story highlights wider issues about end-of-life communication, family involvement in resuscitation decisions, and the need for clear documentation and sensitive conversations in palliative care.