Ruth is a lively, optimistic, vivacious teenager with dreams as big as her aspirations. Within weeks, she found herself fighting a terrifying battle with an eating disorder. Ruth’s passion for books began at the age of ten. At eleven, she actually made plans to trek up Kilimanjaro with her father. Everything turned upside down for her in late 2020 after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. The brutally inhumane treatment she received during care at Thames Ward, Huntercombe Hospital, Berkshire has left her family shattered and still struggling with immeasurable loss. They were haunted by unanswered questions about the care she was provided.
Yet in the months leading up to her death, Ruth became consumed with an eating disorder that progressed at a terrifying rate. Her mom, Kate Szymankiewicz, tells us what that process was like, to be desperately confused and in despair. Ruth’s journey with the Thames Ward began when she was transferred from a local hospital. Inside her new surroundings, she experienced a panic like never before, the feeling of being in jail instead of a treatment center.
Ruth’s experience at Huntercombe was characterized by a lack of therapy and limited autonomy. An inquest found that during that four-and-a-half-month period, she was only allotted two appointments with a psychologist. Ruth was getting much less outside time per day than a standard misdemeanor-level prisoner. This is in sharp opposition to usual care routines. This lack of quality, responsive care played a huge role in her worsening decline and feeling alone.
Things went from bad to worse as Ruth fought against the invasive feeding tubes that were meant to save her life and stop her eating disorder. Staff began coming into her room three times a day. They physically restrained her in a feeding chair, and there she endured traumatic procedures like having a tube shoved down her throat. This new approach had disastrous effects—all the liquid feed ended up in Ruth’s lungs, making it impossible for her to breathe.
Ruth’s trust in the healthcare team eroded over time. She was cut off, too, from her support network of family and friends, in a grim and menacing landscape. As a consequence, her attachment to her caregivers crumbled completely. To add salt to the wound, Ruth was not protected from dangerous content online, deepening her issues.
Urged action.
“What have I let them do?” – Kate Szymankiewicz
While the family’s grief ultimately led to Ruth’s avoidable death, it set into motion the examination of healthcare system failures that was so desperately needed. A spokesperson for Active Care Group acknowledged that they have made significant improvements to the quality and safety of their services in recent years.
“In recent years, we have made significant improvements to the quality and safety in all of our services. We are dedicated to learning any further lessons with the aim of preventing any future tragic incidents.” – Active Care Group spokesperson
Almost nine decades later, Ruth’s story is still hitting home for millions of Americans. Her family wants it to be the catalyst for some serious changes to mental health services. This case serves as a tragic reminder of how desperately young people in our communities with mental health disorders need our comprehensive care. It’s about requiring systems that focus on their safety first.