Sisters relieved hospital takes accountability after mother’s death Family told mistakes made in case of 68-year-old woman with internal bleeding By: Scott Billeck Posted: 6:39 PM CDT Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026

Eight months after losing their mother, two Winnipeg sisters say an internal hospital review has finally given them something they had been seeking since her death: accountability.

Chelsea Mann and Samantha Burns said St. Boniface Hospital officials acknowledged mistakes were made in the care of their mother, Judy Burns, during a recent meeting to discuss the findings of a critical incident review into her death.

The acknowledgement marked a significant departure from an earlier meeting with hospital officials, when they felt their concerns were largely dismissed.

Burns, 68, died on Jan. 21, three days after being admitted, after experiencing rectal bleeding.

“The only thing that changed is they finally took accountability for the mistakes they made,” Mann said.

“There was no accountability (during our first meeting). There wasn’t much self-reflection or blame taken. It was pushed to the side. It was a completely different meeting this time from the accountability aspect. I think that’s huge and that’s all we really asked for.”

The sisters said hospital officials acknowledged during the meeting that staff knew Burns was bleeding internally when she arrived at hospital, but that neither the patient nor her family was told.

“They finally took accountability for the mistakes they made.”

The family was told staff continued monitoring Burns’ blood because patients with suspected internal bleeding are handled according to an established process. However, the sisters said officials acknowledged their mother did not fully fit within that framework and signs about the seriousness of her condition were missed.

The sisters also said they were told there had been capacity to perform an endoscopy, but that the procedure was not performed.

“One hundred per cent it could have been prevented, and knowing that our mom should still be here, it’s the hardest struggle that we have to live with,” Mann said.

“One hundred per cent it could have been prevented, and knowing that our mom should still be here, it’s the hardest struggle that we have to live with.”

In a statement Thursday, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority extended its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Burns.

“We thank her family for sharing their experiences and perspectives during the critical incident review process and recognize how difficult it can be to revisit the circumstances surrounding the loss of a loved one,” a spokesperson for the health authority said.

“The review is now complete and recommendations are being implemented to strengthen patient care and clinical processes. The findings from the review have been shared with the family, and we will continue to maintain open lines of communication with them.”

The hospital is considering changes to how patients with suspected internal bleeding are assessed and treated, the sisters said.

They were told officials are working on a new four-category approach for patients believed to be bleeding internally, although the family said they were not provided with extensive details about how it would work.

Hospital officials also discussed expanding endoscopy capacity, they said.

“Following the review, St. Boniface Hospital introduced an emergency department gastrointestinal bleed protocol to support the timely identification, assessment and treatment of patients presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding,” the WRHA spokesperson said.

“We have also enhanced access to urgent endoscopy and improved how these patients move from the emergency department to other care they need.

The spokesperson noted endoscopy capacity has expanded across the province, including at St. Boniface Hospital, Seven Oaks Hospital, Grace Hospital and Health Sciences Centre to allow for an additional 1,400 procedures annually.

There will also be changes in communication procedures, the sisters said.

“They said now they’re taking that really into consideration — that the way that they communicate to the patients and the patient’s family is just as important as what they’re actually doing (on) the medical side of it,” Burns said.

The women said officials acknowledged that clinical language and the manner in which information is delivered can leave patients and their loved ones feeling dehumanized.

While the hospital’s acknowledgement has given the family hope for the future, it has done little to ease their grief.

“Their accountability didn’t give any closure,” Burns said. What changed, she said, was hearing the hospital acknowledge mistakes had been made.

“At least it makes us … feel like they realized that they made mistakes,” she said. “Because that’s the only way they’re going to learn — making that awareness and accountability.”

“Following the review, St. Boniface Hospital introduced an emergency department gastrointestinal bleed protocol.”

The months since their mother’s death have been difficult on the siblings and the experience has shaken their trust in the health-care system.

They have also struggled with guilt over whether there was anything more they could have done for their mother.

“It still feels like we didn’t do enough,” Burns said. “We couldn’t help her, and even though we brought her somewhere that they were supposed to, we have the, what if? (thoughts) every single day.”

The family also questioned why more support was not offered to them following Burns’ death and the subsequent critical incident investigation. Contact with the hospital’s patient relations department has largely occurred when family members themselves reached out, they said.

Returning to the hospital or contacting officials often brings them back to the events surrounding their mother’s death.

“Eight months and not any better,” Mann said.

Despite that grief, the sisters said they hope something meaningful can emerge.

“Really, what can come from this is changes, hopefully (so) no other family (has) to see all this type of pain,” Mann said.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca