Brilliant Bio-Scientist Passes Away at 29 from Rare Cancer

Kristy Smitten(29) died of a rare cancer. She was one of 30 under 30 in the Scientist magazine Forbes in February. What was originally diagnosed as a ‘pulled muscle’ turned out to be something much worse.

Smitten was a “world-leading” expert set to potentially help save tens of millions’ lives with a new type of antibiotic she had developed, according to The Independent.

Smitten had severe chest pain on and off last year, and she went to the hospital in March this year. She first arrived at A&E with severe chest pain and she got a codeine for a pulled muscle by the GP.

She waited for another 11 hours for more examination after disagreeing with the GP’s diagnosis. She got a CT scan, and she was diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare endothelial cell tumor, characterized by an aggressive permeating growth within the surrounding myocardial wall. She got a cancerous tumor in her right atrium.

Only two people are diagnosed with it a year in the UK. She passed away in the hospital with her family beside her on October 4.

She developed a new class of antibiotics treating multi-drug resistant bacteria which could kill every 3 seconds per year. By 2050, antibiotic microbial resistance is expected to kill 10 million people.

Her work can save tens of millions of people on the globe, but she couldn’t save her own life. She worked while she had weekly chemotherapy. May she rest in peace.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole, or part without express written permission.