An Amport mother with weeks to live passed away following a fall at hospital before doctors discovered she was suffering from a rare form of cancer.

Cynthia Ann Shenstone Kirkup passed away at Basingstoke hospital following a fall in the carpark while on her way to an appointment at the Candover Clinic nearby. The 79-year-old had been “very unwell” in the weeks leading to her death, with doctors diagnosing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) only following her admission to hospital, despite regular blood tests.

Giving a verdict of accidental death, coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said it was “very sad to see such a rapid deterioration in a lady who had previously been so active.”

Mr Kirkup was born in Cheshire in 1941, and was described as a “very independent” and “very capable” mother by her three children, Angela, James and Robert. They said that they “were aware mum was not her usual self from November 2020”, with a change from her previously active lifestyle.

Ms Kirkup had also realised this, and was on “a mission to find out what was wrong with her”. She believed she was suffering from a heart condition, following a previous diagnosis of thrombocythaemia where the body produces an excess of platelets in the blood.

However, a cardiologist had confirmed her heart was in good shape, and further examinations, including a lung scan, were arranged to continue the investigation.

Subsequently, Ms Kirkup was described as “tired” by her daughter, and underwent a “staggering” deterioration between December 2020 and January 2021. On January 6, the pair arrived at the Candover Clinic for an appointment, where Ms Kirkup fell while attempting to get out of the car.

Ms Kirkup told her daughter that “she could still do things” and they attended the appointment, but she suddenly saw her head drop to one side, and was unable to keep her hands and feet on her wheelchair.

As a result, she was rushed to Basingstoke A+E as there were concerns she may have had a stroke. Once there, doctors found that she had suffered a traumatic brain injury in the fall. Tests also revealed she was suffering from acute myeloid leukemia, and had a life expectancy of “weeks rather than months”.

Ms Kirkup passed away from her injuries two days later on January 8, with the cause of death being given as a traumatic subdural hematoma brought on by a fall, contributed to by the leukemia. Following this, her family raised concerns that her regular blood tests had not previously identified she was suffering from cancer, with her latest having been in October 2020.

Consultant haematologist Dr Katharine Lowndes, however, said that their mother’s condition meant that such a rapid deterioration was not unheard of.

In a statement read out at the inquest, she said: “Ms Kirkup wasn’t due for a follow-up blood test until January. While in hospital, her platelet count was found to have dropped to 33 as her thrombocythaemia disorder became leukemia. This occurs in around one per cent of patients, and there is no way of reliably predicting which patients will transform. When they do, it is normally rapid and invariably fatal, and there was no evidence of this change in her previous test.”

The coroner said it was likely the change took place between October 7 and November 2020, at which point her children noticed a change in her behaviour.

Passing on her condolences to the family, tributes were paid to Ms Kirkup, who built Bec Cottage in Amport and oversaw its construction, as well as being a keen golfer and bridge player.