Wylie Dixon, 39, who considered himself to be rather fit and healthy, experienced the shock of his life when he was diagnosed with cancer that affects only 3,000 people annually in the United States.
Before he received the devastating diagnosis of having appendix cancer, Dixon experienced abdominal pain, bloating, changes in bowel habits, and loss of appetite, all symptoms of this rare form of cancer. Sadly, at the time he was finally rushed to the emergency room at his home in Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia, the cancer had spread throughout his body.
Long before he started experiencing the symptoms, Dixon felt fatigue, but doctors dismissed it as too vague to be linked to cancer.
Speaking to Femail of the shock that came with the diagnosis, Dixon said, “I was in disbelief as I’d never heard of the cancer before… I wasn’t someone who had scheduled health check-ups but I went to the doctor often when something would arise.
He added: “I was fit and healthy, not overweight, I was very active and walking 10,000 to 20,000 steps per day was normal for me at work.”
“I didn’t have any major symptoms besides fatigue. That’s the problem with this cancer, everything was vague and didn’t persist, besides the fatigue.”
According to him, doctors failed to diagnose him for two years.
Since, he and his wife moved to Sydney in order to be closer to the facility where he’s been receiving life saving treatments.
This relocation required both of them to leave their jobs, and they are currently residing in temporary accommodation.
In response to their situation, a friend of the couple launched a GoFundMe campaign to provide financial support during this challenging time. With a fundraising goal of $22,000 AUD, contributions have now exceeded $22,100 AUD, showcasing remarkable community support.
Wylie Dixon’s diagnosis with this form of cancer at just 39 highlights growing concerns about the increasing number of appendix cancer diagnoses in people under 50.
Andreana Holowatyj, PhD, MSCI, assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, commented on a recent research about appendiceal cancer, saying, “When you take these alarming rates that we are seeing for appendiceal cancer across generations, together with the fact that one in every three patients diagnosed with appendiceal cancer is diagnosed under the age of 50, these point to a timely need for everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of appendix cancer.”
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