The parents of Colin Smith are determined to keep fighting for justice following the death of their seven-year-old son from contaminated blood, which led to him contracting AIDS. Along with more than 30,000 others in the UK, Colin was infected with HIV and hepatitis C by contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. A public inquiry into the scale of the scandal described it as “horrifying” and accused the government, doctors and NHS of failing patients repeatedly. “We’ve still got a bit of fight in us to make sure they don’t renege on their promises,” said Colin’s father, adding: “We’re not losing the plot, we were right.”
The UK government has announced a compensation scheme is being established, with some victims receiving interim payments of £210,000 from the summer. However, it is yet to outline compensation plans for relatives and siblings of those affected. Colin’s parents, from Newport in Wales, said they felt somewhat “flat” following decades of fighting for the truth to come out. His mother added there is still a lack of recognition, and she worries that the fight is far from over.
After the inquiry’s report was released last week, Colin’s father felt “hyped up” after decades of fighting. “I feel a bit flat today,” he added, “I think it’s relief.” Meanwhile, Colin’s mother said the impact of his illness was that she “lost her other sons as well”. She hopes a family holiday may be possible with any compensation received. The Welsh government said: “We welcome the announcement on the further interim compensation payment. Together with the Wales Infected Blood Support Scheme, we will work towards facilitating the payments.”
The tragedy surrounding Colin’s death is truly sobering and highlights the grave consequences of scandals such as contaminated blood products. The fight for proper recognition and compensation for victims and their families takes on even greater significance in light of this history of medical negligence
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