The wife of a 49-year-old Co Mayo man who died of suffocation caused by a cancerous tumour in his throat made an emotional plea to the public yesterday to get a second opinion before placing faith in natural health therapies.
Michelle Howie made the appeal at an inquest in Castlebar where it was claimed that Mulranny-based therapist Mineke Kamper had subjected her to "fear and terror" as she treated Ms Howie's husband, Paul, who died on April 22nd, 2003.
Dr Iqdam Tobbia, the consultant pathologist who carried out a postmortem at the request of south Mayo coroner John O'Dwyer, told the inquest Mr Howie's tumour was localised and could have been removed, treated by radiotherapy or chemotherapy to provide a longer and better quality of life.
The jury returned a verdict of death by natural causes on Mr Howie, a father of one son, of Ballinrobe, and recommended that anyone contemplating attending alternative health practitioners should first consult a registered medical practitioner.
In the course of her evidence, Ms Howie told of how both herself and her husband were "manipulated" by Ms Kamper to such an extent that they had driven a wedge between themselves and their families and excluded them when they suggested and begged that they get medical help to treat Mr Howie. "I am truly, truly sorry and I thank both my own family and Paul's family for their wonderful support and for being with me here today," she said.
"We excluded them because they were trying to convince us and at stages begged us to seek medical help.
"Mineke Kamper had repeatedly said to us that we had a choice but if we did get medical treatment Paul would die and that she could and would cure him.
"There are aspects to the way Mineke Kamper operated with us that I have only been able to speak about in the past month or so. For example, on the day Paul collapsed at her house, I specifically asked her if there was a point in her treatment where she would refer Paul to a hospital if needed and she assured me she would.
"She then relayed stories to me of people who did not follow her advice and who were now dead.
"She looked me in the eye and said did I want my husband's death on my hands. She looked at our baby, Alan, and asked could I look him in the eye and say I was responsible for his daddy's death.
"While Paul was very weak, and I now realise he was dying in front of me at the time, we felt we had no choice."
Ms Howie said she now believed Ms Kamper should not be allowed to continue operating in the manner in which she does at present.
"Her callous manipulation of us both prevented Paul from receiving a correct medical diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
"She is accountable to no one," continued Ms Howie. "She has not communicated with the family or me since Paul passed away. She has not the decency or common courtesy to this inquest or to Paul's memory to turn up here today. Her absence is telling, as is her silence. Something needs to be done about this woman Mineke Kamper."
Apologising to the family for the delay in holding the inquest, Mr O'Dwyer revealed that he had sought to have Minister for Justice Michael McDowell introduce powers of compellability of witnesses at inquests to ensure the attendance of Ms Kamper.
The coroner described as "pitiful" the only recourse open to him, which was the imposition of a fine of €6.35 on Ms Kamper for failing to answer the summons served on her.
Mr O'Dwyer added that it was clear that Mr Howie should not have died. Had he received conventional medical treatment he would still be alive.
"Instead, the deceased found himself under the total control of a domineering, self-styled natural health therapist who insisted on his surrendering himself exclusively to her care.
"It appears from the evidence that the deceased was misled and misinformed as to the nature of the illness that led to his death.
"Because of fear and threats from Ms Kamper, he did not seek the help of a medical doctor.
" In fact, Mrs Howie states that the advice from his health therapist was that 'Paul would die with conventional medicine'."
It was of great concern to him that unqualified practitioners in healthcare were not answerable to any regulatory authority, Mr O' Dwyer said.
While the 2004 Health and Social Care Professionals Bill regulated professionals from chiropodists to radiographers, there was no regulatory authority for "freelance operators in health-care".