27-year-old was told she was too young to have cancer—her death led to the introduction of groundbreaking medical rule
A timely diagnosis can be life-saving for patients with critical illnesses like cancer. However, even doctors may miss certain symptoms because of a wide range of factors. This includes a person's age at the time of the diagnosis. 27-year-old Jessica Brady lost her life to cancer after being repeatedly told that she was "too young" to have the illness. She had made 20 doctors' appointments in five months before her terminal diagnosis. Her legacy inspired the UK government to roll out Jess's Rule to prevent "avoidable deaths," per Gov.UK.
Jessica Brady died of stage four adenocarcinoma back in December 2020, just three weeks after she was diagnosed. She made 20 doctor's appointments before she had to finally seek private healthcare. By the time she was diagnosed, the disease was in such an advanced stage that treatment was no longer possible. So the government rolled out Jess's Rule on September 23, 2025, across the NHS in England. The patient safety initiative would prompt GPs across the country to take the "3 strikes and rethink approach" in order to diagnose life-threatening diseases faster, especially in young people. The doctors would have to take a closer look if patients present with persistent or escalated symptoms for three appointments or more.
The government and doctors wanted to ensure that people, regardless of their age or background, received the same standard of quality medical care. GPs will be pushed to "reflect, review and rethink" if they are not sure about a patient's condition. "Jess lived for just 3 short weeks following her terminal cancer diagnosis. Despite her shock and devastation, she showed unfailing courage, positivity, dignity and love. Jess was determined that people should understand how desperately she had tried to advocate for herself and seek a resolution for her declining health," Jessica's mom, Andrea, shared. "In the bleak weeks following the loss of Jess, I realised it was my duty to continue what she had started. It has taken nearly 5 years to bring about Jess’s Rule. I would like to dedicate this initiative to all the young people who have been diagnosed too late."
"Jessica Brady’s death was a preventable and unnecessary tragedy. I want to thank her courageous family, who have campaigned tirelessly through unimaginable grief to ensure Jessica’s legacy helps to save the lives of others," Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, remarked. "I don’t want any family to endure the pain Jessica’s family has been through. This government will learn from such tragedies and is taking decisive action to improve patient safety." According to the Nuffield Trust, younger people aged 16 to 24 and people from ethnic minorities needed more appointments with a GP to get a cancer diagnosis because they might present the disease differently compared to older and white patients.
The rule will support GPs to conduct physical examination or prescribe diagnostic tests if a patient's symptoms persist. Doctors will also be encouraged to seek help from colleagues or specialists to get a second opinion. "Many clinicians already apply a version of '3 strikes and rethink' in their routine practice, but Jess’s Rule formalizes this instinctive approach, providing a consistent structure to support reflection and timely action for patients," Dr Claire Fuller, National Medical Director at NHS England, pointed out. "I am very humbled by the efforts of Andrea and Simon Brady, who have campaigned for this important initiative, which will undoubtedly save lives by avoiding missed or delayed diagnoses," she added.
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