Beth’s Story

“At 6.15pm that evening, my family’s world as it was ended. We were a normal family of five; now we are three.”

Clare Bowen, mother of Bethany, Will & James and widow of Richard.

In this moving and challenging documentary we tell the story of the Bowen family following the tragic death of Bethany during ‘routine’ surgery. Following the trauma of his daughter’s death and the ‘torture’ of the inquest, Richard died suddenly of a massive heart attack aged 31 years.

Clare’s remarkable courage and humanity in the face of extreme tragedy is the hallmark of this powerful and provocative film. Through Clare’s testimony the film offers professionals the opportunity to explore the multiple ‘human factors’ that lead to Beth’s untimely death and to re-examine their own ideas and practice in relation to serious harm in the healthcare context.

Ultimately, this film is another step in Clare’s search for truth and reconciliation.

“I employed Beth’s Story to set the context for a pilot study of undergraduate multi-professional learning about medical errors. This powerful narrative illustrates the wide reaching effects of errors, and the personal perspective made the situation real, and a responsibility of everyone in healthcare professions. All of the students were moved and were able to recognise the importance of the subsequent teaching and learning they undertook.”

Undergraduate Dean