Story
Since my wife Deb was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 bowel cancer during lockdown in May 2020 we’ve had a bit of a journey! Being told there was nothing that could be done surgically chemo was our only option & even with that she only had 18-24 months, without it only 6. Devastated was not the word. With two young kids 7 & 5 at the time & a global pandemic meaning diagnosis & treatment on her own without anyone to hold her hand, give her a hug, it couldn’t really have been worse. Fast forward a year & the chemo worked wonders & the multidisciplinary team across Warrington, Halton, Liverpool & Clatterbridge decided to reconsider surgery & in April 2021 Deb underwent surgery to remove the primary bowel tumour, pancreas tumour, her spleen & a full hysterectomy. In June 2021 she underwent her first lung ablation to remove 2 tumours on her right lung, following which she just never seemed to recover & the pain continued to get worse. In September 2021 we found out the cancer had spread to the bones… ribcage, pelvis & spine & following a collapse at home in November 2021, the worst news yet - it has also spread to the brain. Before Christmas she’ll now be undergoing 5 sessions of whole brain radiotherapy. She’s been through the mill, we all have, but she’s still here, still fighting, still KICKING CANCERS ASS!! But none of this would be possible without the amazing research, work & care of Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital. So whilst I can’t do much about the treatment itself what I can do is raise funds & awareness to help make sure other families don’t have to go through this at all, or at least have the same level of success & support as we have. As a family doing walks, runs & rides we’ve raised over £6500 in fundraising for Bowel Cancer Charities & want to continue the momentum! So for the next challenge I’m roping in more people for the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity’s ‘Glow Green’ 8k walk in Liverpool on 4th Feb 2022, which is World Cancer Day. Please spare whatever you can to help. It is so very much appreciated. Russ, Debs & #TeamScanlon xx