He Played God With My Body

Jade was betrayed by the man she trusted with her life

- Jenny Stallard

Trust. Not always easy to build with someone you’ve never met.

But a doctor? You trust them immediately, don’t you?

I did.

When I went to a private hospital with my mum Karen, now 55, and my dad Brian, 57, in October 2005, we all did.

We instinctively put our faith in Ian Paterson, the doctor I’d been referred to see when I’d found a lump in my left breast the month before.

My GP had been concerned after I felt the grape-sized growth.

As Dad owns his own company, we had private insurance and went to the Spire Parkway Hospital, owned by Spire Healthcare.

‘It’s a fibroid adenoma,’ Mr Paterson said. ‘Not cancerous, but we’ll need to operate as soon as possible to remove it.

Barely a week later, I was scheduled in for the operation.

Having only just started my A-levels at college, I told tutors and pals I’d be taking time off.

Of course, I was worried, but I was in safe hands.

Small scar

After the surgery, Mr Paterson had good news… It definitely wasn’t cancer.

‘We removed a golf-ballsized lump,’ he told me.

Thank goodness.

My breast was sore, a small scar where they’d done the operation, but nothing brutal.

No need for different underwear or anything like that.

A lucky escape.

And, back at college, I carried on studying Law, English and Drama.

Only, nearly two years later…

Another lump.

Naturally, I went straight back to Mr Paterson.