A MAN'S moving chronicle of his wife's cancer death after a catalogue of medical blunders is to be sold in Australia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

In The Woman Who Wouldn't Die, Don Lucey, from Wootton Bassett, tells the story of the life and death of his wife, Christine.

Christine, a qualified nurse, died in 1995 at the age of 40 following a six-year battle to beat the disease.

Had it been spotted earlier, she would almost certainly have survived, but misdiagnosis and other mistakes at the old Princess Alexandra Hospital in Wroughton meant that it became too widespread before detection.

Eventually, the Ministry of Defence awarded Don, now 50, £420,000 in compensation.

He has used most of the money to secure the future of the couple's 14-year-old daughter, Rebecca.

Self-published less than a year ago, his book has so far sold more than 2,000 copies through the internet and Waterstone's bookshop.

Don, a security expert and former soldier and police officer, said: "I think I'll be looking at having another edition of the book printed in a few months' time.

"In writing this story, I have not just written about one woman I have written a story to warn the world about the accountability of people in positions of responsibility."

Currently, Don is awaiting a possible interview with Gloria Hunniford, and Oprah Winfrey's production team are considering whether to feature the book in the show.

In addition, he is in the process of arranging to have the book sold in stores in Australia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

He regards the book as a tribute to Christine and a stark warning to other patients not to regard their doctors as infallible.

However, he is not anti-doctor, and insists that he has the greatest respect for the medical profession but is merely interested in ensuring that mistakes are acknowledged and lessons learned.

For Don, it looks as if there will be further ventures into writing in the future but in the realm of fiction rather than non-fiction.

Don's book has been praised by reviewers and his writing style has attracted the attention of a major publishing house, which is interested in publishing a thriller he now plans to write.

www.thewomanwhowouldntdie.com