Dad’s cancer not spotted for years before terminal diagnosis
A dad diagnosed with liver cancer says it took doctors five years to spot the symptoms. Craig Speirs was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32 - when he was told he had just five years to live.
But Craig - who has two children - defied the predictions and is now aged 42. Craig was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine cancer, a rare cancer which can start in different parts of the body. It was in the rectum where Craig’s cancer had started and he now has ‘hundreds of tumours’ on his liver too.
He has revealed the early symptoms included ‘flushing’ to his face and body and needing the toilet between 10 and 15 times a day. He also got regular heart palpitations
He told Glasgow Live[1]: “I thought my life was over when I got told I had cancer. It was quite shocking for my family too, they probably thought they are going to lose me. I worked for nine months and then it became really difficult with all the treatments and I wasn’t able to do the job how I wanted to do it. It was making the treatments even harder so I just took a step back to spend time with my kids.
READ: Romany gypsy Eva: 'Police told us to move onto this site and we've been here months'[2]
“A cancer diagnosis will prioritise your life in a way that nothing else ever will. You will look at things in your life and think that things which weren’t a priority before become a priority. My priority in life isn’t how far I can go in my career, I have different aspirations in life.”
year in the UK, around 6,000 people are diagnosed with a Neuroendocrine cancer. Craig, is married to Angela whom he shares two children with -Adam, seven and Rhianne, aged 14. He has had eight operations on his liver, two heart surgeries and multiple treatments - including chemotherapy.
And now Craig has focused his energy on raising awareness of Neuroendocrine cancer and is an ambassador for Neuroendocrine Cancer UK (NCUK).
He said: “I have hundreds of small tumours in my liver. If you see a scan, you’d think this guy has days to live but because it is slow growing my body is able to adapt and live with it a bit longer.
“If I was to sit in the house and do nothing my mental health would be poor. I am feeling quite positive, we have 50 people signed up from friends, family and patients. My hope is that someday we find a test that will speed up the process so patients can get diagnosed earlier.
“I would like to have a national firewalk after mine, I am hoping I can persuade people to do similar things across the UK. The main target is to try and raise one million pounds.”
To donate to Craig's fundraising campaign, click here[3].
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References
- ^ told Glasgow Live (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Romany gypsy Eva: 'Police told us to move onto this site and we've been here months' (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.justgiving.com)
- ^ or click here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)