The family of a popular man who died in tragic circumstances after surgery have spoken out about their grief a year on from his passing.

Danny Lynch was just 40 when he died unexpectedly at Bristol Royal Infirmary, leaving his family "shattered".

Danny had a successful heart surgery, but there were complications following a tracheotomy on November 17, 2023 and he needed to be resuscitated.

Mum Maria Lynch claims the tracheotomy was carried out against her wishes and a doctor used the wrong sized tube incorrectly, leaving Danny on life support.

Five days later, Maria made the decision to turn off Danny’s life support machine and he died surrounded by his friends and family.

Since his heart-breaking passing, Maria has set up the charity Ask Danny, to raise awareness of the needs of people with complex learning difficulties and how to support them when they are in hospital.

(Image: Maria Lynch)

The charity has held various fundraising activities and Maria works with the learning disability nurses at Great Western Hospital to provide comfort bears and resource boxes full of items to keep patients calm and entertained during their time in hospital, as well as visual 'hospital care passports' to help medical staff identify that their patient may require more specific care.

Maria said: “It’s done in memory of my son, but it also helps with the grief. My grief is so immense, I have to bury it in something, and I’ve buried it in Ask Danny – otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.

“I was taking my son to the doctors for three years after being diagnosed with acid reflux when he had a faulty valve in his heart, but because he had a learning difficulty, he couldn’t express the pain and the doctor had to listen to me, they dismissed him and I had to keep taking him to A&E.

“In Swindon, there are two nurses that look after patients with learning difficulties. They’re the Oliver Twist of the 21st century when it comes to medical care and it has to stop. I’m going to do my best to empower anybody and everybody to make sure these adults with learning difficulties get better care.

“There’s a great need for it, other departments in the hospital are requesting resource boxes. Ideally, it’s for adults but we are going to see if we can develop them for children. They are more likely to have a family member supporting them, whereas an adult may come from a care home and not have that maternal support.

"With a visual aid like the Ask Danny logo on the bears, medical staff can see they have a special need and they need to take a bit more time to care. If you use certain buzzwords or give them food they don't like, it's distressing for the adult." 

A Great Western Hospital spokesperson said: "A ‘box of tricks’ containing things that used to calm Danny down is now available in the Emergency Department, the Patient, Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and from the Trust’s Learning Disability nurses.

"Thank you to the team from Ask Danny, including mum Maria, who joined us this week to introduce the new resources to our staff and patients."

(Image: Great Western Hospital) (Image: Great Western Hospital) Maria is also campaigning for new legislation to call for operations to be filmed, to ensure that there is evidence of exactly what has happened should a mistake occur and provide answers for the family.

“These medical incidents are happening all the time and I’m sure everyone who goes under anaesthetic would sign to say they don’t mind their operation being videoed and viewed if there are any concerns", added Maria.

An inquest into Danny’s death is scheduled for April 2025.

The next Ask Danny fundraising event will be a drag bingo night on December 6 at the Shield and Dagger pub.

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