A mother of a woman given just days to live has expressed her heartbreak after being denied boarding on two flights to South Africa. Veronica King and Sam Lee have labelled airline KLM’s actions as “unforgivable” after enduring additional anguish during an already “deeply distressing” period.
Their loved one, Donna Hadfield, has been fighting cancer since November 2025, but her health recently took a sudden and devastating turn. More than £9,000 was raised to help fly the 51-year-old Hartlepool local and her wife, Steph Berry, back to the UK so she could make lasting memories with her family in her hometown.
Sadly Donna’s condition worsened further. And on Monday, October 12, family and friends were told that she may only have days left to live. Best friend Sam, who organised the fundraising campaign, used the money gathered to book flights for herself and Veronica to travel to Cape Town, South Africa.
But while frantically trying to reach Donna, the pair were denied boarding on flights at Newcastle International Airport on two separate occasions on Wednesday, October 14. The first due to an overbooked plane. And the second was because they hadn’t booked a return flight from South Africa.
Sam, who has been friends with Donna for nearly four decades, said: “This has been deeply distressing for me and Donna’s mam. To be turned away from a flight not once, but twice in one day was just awful,” reports Chronicle Live.
“We have a few precious days left to spend with Donna and every second counts. The oncologist told us on Monday that Donna has only days left. For the airline to put us through this horrible heartache, after we spoke to them and explained it all, is unforgivable.
“Donna’s mam has had enough heartbreak. She just wants to get to see her daughter and hold her hand as quickly as possible. We were just sat in tears and disbelief in the airport twice.”
A representative for the airline stated KLM “apologises for the distress caused to Ms Lee and Ms King.”
The airline added “passengers are responsible for ensuring they have the correct travel documentation”.
After booking the flights online, Sam recalls phoning KLM to explain the situation. And asked if there were any specific requirements needed. The 50-year-old alleges she was reassured everything was sorted and that they were confirmed on the 5.45am flight.
Upon arriving in the early hours of the morning, Sam and Veronica were then told they couldn’t board the first of their two flights, as a change in aircraft meant there weren’t enough seats available. Sam claims KLM had emailed her about the overbooked flight just hours before they left for the airport. But she hadn’t seen the message and had received neither a phone call nor a text.
The spokesperson added: “KLM rebooked them on flights from Newcastle via London Heathrow to Johannesburg, with onward travel to Cape Town. KLM paid both passengers denied-boarding compensation in accordance with UK261.
“KLM apologises for the distress caused to Ms Lee and Ms King, who were denied boarding on 14 October. They were scheduled to travel from Newcastle to Amsterdam on flight KL952, connecting to KLM flight KL597 from Amsterdam to Cape Town.
“The booking was purchased through and issued by Expedia for outbound travel to South Africa on KLM. The decision to deny boarding on the rebooked flight related to immigration requirements. Under KLM’s Conditions of Carriage, passengers are responsible for ensuring they have the correct travel documentation.”
Since November 2023, Donna has been fighting metastatic small-cell lung cancer, which had spread from her lungs to her liver and pancreas. Despite promising results from initial chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, the cancer has continued to advance.
In July this year, Donna and her wife Steph Berry were given the devastating news that the cancer had spread to her brain.
Nine years ago, Donna and Steph moved to South Africa and have built a ‘wonderful life’, but Hartlepool has always stayed close to the heart for the former Brierton School student.
Within days, over 200 people donated more than £9,000 to an online fundraiser to help bring Donna home.
However, she has been too ill to undertake the journey and on Monday was given the heartbreaking prognosis that she may only have days left.