Doctor Had Sex With Cancer Patient In Hospital Bed, Loses License

A doctor’s medical license was revoked Wednesday after she had sex with a cancer patient in his hospital bed in Toronto, Canada.

Theepa Sundaralingam, a former oncologist with the Rouge Valley Health System, diagnosed a man with cancer in 2015 and exchanged number and Instagram handle details the following day. They started texting each other and what began as a flirtatious relationship evolved into sexual intercourse, sometimes in the hospital while other times at the patient’s home. She continued treating the patient, however, seven months into the relationship she refused to treat him and informed that she had fallen in love with someone else.

Speaking about the incident, the patient, whose name was not revealed, said, “It’s difficult for me to talk to anybody about it because the reality is that I’m a male so for me to say, ‘Hey, I dated my oncologist,’ it wouldn’t be a surprise for someone to say ‘Cool.’ But that’s not cool. That’s not the case because I feel abused, and it’s very difficult as a male to come out and say that about a female. It’s usually the other way around.”

“I was physically emaciated and emotionally exposed and the loss of a critical relationship defeated me. What compounded this toll was her refusal to continue providing medical care at the same time. At the time, I was unable to see the ramifications of dating my treating oncologist. I couldn’t see how vulnerable I was and how much power she had over me,” he added, Metro reported.

According to a statement of facts from the hearing, Sundaralingam "repeatedly asked Patient A to delete their texts and keep their relationship a secret, as she was concerned the college would become aware of their sexual and inappropriate relationship,” the Sun reported.

Sundaralingam’s medical license was revoked and she was ordered to put up a security sum of $16,000 for any treatment her former patient might need. She was also asked to pay $ 6,000 to cover the discipline hearing costs.

Disciplinary panel chair John Langs told Sundaralingam, "From virtually the beginning of your doctor/patient relationship, you crossed boundaries and ultimately sexually abused an extremely vulnerable patient suffering from a life-threatening illness. The committee can only hope that this process prompts you to undergo a long, hard searching self-examination of what lies behind your abusive and abhorrent behavior."

The panel said, “You were responsible for your patient’s health, care and support, but instead you took advantage for your own personal satisfaction. You then withdrew that support for your own personal preference at a time when your patient was at his lowest point. You have disgraced yourself and the profession.”

Scarborough Health Network of which Rouge Valley is a part said, it “is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all our patients. We will move forward in accordance with the decision of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario."