Our beloved Dad's journey began on 4th November 2011 when he was first diagnosed with gastric cancer. He was an otherwise healthy and hardworking family man who was looking forward to his retirement.

 

 

After a long period involving significant diagnostic challenges it became clear that the cancer was far more aggressive and advanced than doctors had initially hoped. Though different treatments were tried they were generally ineffective - and Dad's general health suffered from the severity of the disease losing one-third of his body weight.

 

 

He endured great pain and suffering, experiencing incredible highs on false hope and devastating lows when reality eventually struck. Throughout, our Dad maintained his dignity and was impossibly stoic regardless of the many obstacles that he faced.

 

 

After all options had expired, and with Dad's sickness clearly beginning to worsen, he was admitted into Wisdom Hospice in Rochester, Kent to be looked after and kept comfortable in his final days.

 

 

He died on 22nd June 2012 with his whole family by his side. Finally he had found peace after what had now seemed like a lifetime of pain and suffering.

 

 

We are collecting for Cancer Research UK in the hope that in the future other families need not go through what ours have. We have much to learn still about this awful disease and hope any contribution goes a small way towards ensuring that the people we care about have a greater chance to stay with us.