Wolverhampton father and his children are ready for Race for Life

Express & Star

A Wolverhampton father who beat cancer and his son who took part in Race For Life last year are promoting this year's event in the West Midlands.

Transcript

00:00Three, two, one.

00:12I was diagnosed in November 23.

00:16And it was only because they sent the test through the post.

00:22And I did the test.

00:24And it was only because my cousin had passed away.

00:27It suddenly, I'd better check myself out.

00:30And luckily the test came through.

00:33And the results came back and I had to go for biopsies.

00:37And then when we went for the biopsy,

00:40the surgeon had us both in the room.

00:46I thought it was just normal procedure.

00:48They called my wife in as well.

00:50And then they informed me that I'd got bowel cancer.

00:54I'd seen lesions on my bowel.

00:57And the time it was cancer.

00:59And from that point I blanked out.

01:01I'd been taking what he was telling me.

01:03Or what was being said.

01:06And then when he finished, I casually got up and said,

01:10thanks doctor.

01:11And walked out of the room.

01:12And it was until I got home and my wife says to me,

01:14do you understand what he said to you?

01:17And I says, what did he say to me?

01:19He said, you've got cancer.

01:20And then he hit me.

01:21I've got cancer.

01:23It's just, wow.

01:25I had to have surgery for the bowel cancer itself.

01:28So I have a temporary ileostomy bag attached to me.

01:33Hopefully that should be taken off real soon.

01:35So after that surgery, I had to have more tests to see if it was successful.

01:43Luckily for me, it wasn't successful.

01:45Well, the operation itself was successful in really touching the bowel and stuff.

01:49But then they told me that the cancer had gestated,

01:52which means it had moved and it had attached itself to my liver.

01:56They told me it was going to be palliative care initially.

02:01And that's why they tried the chemo to see if it would shrink.

02:05And luckily for me, it did shrink.

02:16The chemo really, really battered my body.

02:18I had every side effect going.

02:20Sickness, nausea, diarrhea,

02:24rashes around my face and my hands,

02:27horses in my mouth.

02:29And it was brutal.

02:30It really was.

02:32But luckily for me,

02:35the 12 sessions were to trump the cancer enough.

02:39Initially, there was three lesions on my liver.

02:42But when I had the surgery, they removed five.

02:45So that's how fast it was gestating.

02:47And I had that surgery in November of 24.

02:52So the whole of 24 was just me having surgeries and chemotherapy.

02:57So I totally missed that year, really, when you think about it,

03:01because my life was spent in hospital.

03:06My wife got me through.

03:07She's an absolute trooper.

03:09The kids, they got me through as well,

03:11because they handled the situation amazingly.

03:14And my family and friends.

03:16I've got a real good family and friends as well.

03:18And everybody supported me.

03:20Friends from work as well.

03:21It was just a rock.

03:27My son.

03:28He's got issues of his own,

03:30but he's absolutely amazing.

03:32When I was first diagnosed with cancer,

03:35he told his mum he wanted to do something to help his dad.

03:39And they came up with the idea to do the Race for Life.

03:44And so he went on the Race for Life and he put his profile on.

03:49And then his sister, my older daughter,

03:51she says, well, I'll help.

03:53I'll join you.

03:54I'll join you.

03:55And then he raged 3,000 pounds.

03:57Between them they raged 4,000 pounds.

03:59Then we went to watch them do the Race for Life.

04:02And they were amazing.

04:03He was absolutely amazing.

04:05He was a little superhero.

04:07He's the Robin to my Batman.

04:09So, yeah, he was a little trooper.

04:12I was so proud of him and my daughter-in-law

04:19for doing that and doing our little part

04:23to raise awareness of cancer

04:25and money towards the research.

04:27So, yeah, it was all good.

04:33If it wasn't for the research,

04:35I probably wouldn't be here now speaking

04:37because the research they've done within the last 10 years

04:41has come on amazingly.

04:43And it's because of that research

04:45why I'm able to be here now speaking realistically

04:48if you weight up realistically

04:50because if this had happened 10 years ago,

04:52I might not be here.

05:11I'd say to anybody to get themselves checked out,

05:16especially in the black community.

05:20Your prostate is the most common in the black community,

05:24but any form, your prostate, your bowel, your pancreas,

05:28your liver, your heart, just go and check yourselves out.

05:31That's what I'd say.

05:32It's a simple procedure and it could save your life.

05:41what's your favorite part?

05:43That's the best way of defining theкими

05:57parts of theJa Recuberance.

05:59That's the best way of making you a friend.

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