A story states that a cancer patient who was 23 years old and had collected hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity passed away after acquiring an infection while he was in the medical treatment facility.
The news agency BBC Scotland reported that Molly Cuddihy passed away on Tuesday, August 26, when she was receiving medical care at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow. Investigations are now being conducted at the hospital in response to safety concerns that have been related to many patients apparently developing illnesses.
It was reported by the source that her death occurred several years after she had acquired septic shock in 2018. This condition was caused by an infection that she may have caught at the same hospital when she was receiving treatment for cancer. According to reports, she acquired a third illness when she was being treated in the hospital the next year.
According to the allegations, Cuddihy was taken to the hospital in July of 2025, but he passed away after contracting another illness. Afterwards, a consultant informed the authorities about her passing, and an inquiry into possible threats to public safety has been launched, according to BBC Scotland.
The National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), which describes itself as “the largest NHS organization in Scotland” and is in charge of Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, issued a statement regarding the passing of Molly Cuddihy. The statement read, “Our deepest condolences are with the family of Molly Cuddihy during this extremely difficult time.”
“To respect patient confidentiality we are unable to provide further comment,” they said in their statement.
PEOPLE was able to secure a statement from a spokeswoman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), which is Scotland’s independent death investigation body. The response said, “The Procurator Fiscal has received a report on the death of a 23-year-old woman in Glasgow on 26 August 2025.”
This report was compiled by a physician, as is required by the guidelines in situations when they are required to do so. The circumstances surrounding this death are now being investigated by the procurator fiscal, and any major developments will be communicated to the family throughout this process, according to the statement.
The cause of death has not been determined at this time. According to BBC Scotland, Cuddihy was left with incurable liver damage as a result of earlier illnesses as well as chemotherapy treatment. In addition, she had a kidney transplant in November of 2024, which meant that the therapy choices available to her during her most recent hospitalization were restricted.
According to the site, Cuddihy was 15 years old when she was given a diagnosis of metastatic Ewing sarcoma in January of 2018.
According to the medical institution Mayo Clinic, “Ewing sarcoma is a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the bones and the soft tissue around the bones.”
In the end, Cuddihy was taken to the Schiehallion ward at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC), as reported by BBC Scotland. At the time of her diagnosis, she was in the process of studying for examinations at school.
It was subsequently that she had treatment at the QEUH that was next to her, and it was then that she suffered “frightening” chills, which the outlet stated were ultimately connected to an infection that she had gotten in the hospital.
During her testimony before the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry in 2021, when she was 19 years old, Cuddihy discussed her ordeal. She admitted that her body had gone into septic shock not long after she began receiving chemotherapy. According to BBC Scotland, the investigation was initiated as a result of concerns over the facility’s safety as well as the deaths of two patients.
The publication said that Cuddihy was diagnosed with mycobacterium chelonae in the summer of 2018, after the commencement of chemotherapy. This was a bacterial infection that she had developed after being placed with an intravenous line.
An independent investigation conducted in 2021 discovered that “84 children and young people” had got infections while they were receiving treatment at the hospital. This is just one example of the controversy that has surrounded the facility over the years.
“We found that the deaths of 2 of the 22 children and young people who had died by the time of the publication of this report were, at least in part, the result of their infection,” according to the study, in addition to other conclusions.
Irrespective of the diagnosis she received, Cuddihy was able to amass a substantial amount of money for charitable causes during the course of her life. The National Health Service General Committee (NHSGGC) said in March 2023 that Cuddihy and Sara Millar, who had developed a deep connection while both of them were undergoing treatment for cancer, had successfully secured the funds necessary to improve facilities at the Schiehallion Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children as well as other areas inside the hospital.
Before she was taken to the hospital a month ago, Cuddihy had been working as a volunteer administrator and had previously served as a young ambassador for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, according to a report by BBC Scotland. According to the publication, she has now acquired more than $400,000 in order to assist in the enhancement of the lives of other cancer sufferers. Immediately after Cuddihy’s loss, her family issued a statement to BBC Scotland in which they stated, “It is with broken hearts that we share the passing of our beloved daughter Molly.” Her presence brought joy, affection, and compassion into the lives of a great number of people who were fortunate enough to be in her orbit.
“What we will always treasure is the way she touched others; often without ever [realizing] just how truly extraordinary she was,” according to their statement.
“We are devastated by her loss and struggling to comprehend a world without her gentle presence,” the family added in their statement. “To us, she will forever be our precious girl: deeply loved, irreplaceable, and always remembered.”
A statement that was received by PEOPLE was issued by Kirsten Watson, the Chief Executive Officer of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. In the statement, Watson wrote, “We are heartbroken at the loss of our cherished friend and colleague, Molly.” Her unwavering commitment to assisting children who were hospitalized will be remembered for all time, and the bravery that she shown during her own journey will continue to serve as a source of motivation for all of us. All of Molly’s loved ones and friends are in our thoughts and prayers.
