There are times when despite feeling unwell, we refuse to visit a doctor hoping that the pain would eventually go away on its own. The sad reality is that if we don’t seek medical help when we first feel the symptoms of an illness, it may be too late when we do it.
A 31-year-old man from Middlesborough, UK, who was battling terminal cancer advocated about the importance of regular check-ups and visiting a doctor on time.
Liam Griffiths believed that he could have been able to beat the cancer had he turned to a medical professional sooner.
Despite his efforts to beat the illness, Liam was delivered the devastating news it was fatal.
Namely, he was suffering from peritoneal cancer, a form of cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen.
In an interview, Liam revealed that he started experiencing stomach swelling, chronic constipation, cramps and vomiting in March of 2023. Although his symptoms seemed to be severe, he didn’t visit a doctor because he was self-employed and didn’t want to lose out on wages.
He hoped the symptoms would go away, but they only worsened and became even more severe which forced him to seek medical help. Once at the hospital, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, but a month later he got a call from the doctor and was informed that he was in fact misdiagnosed and that he had cancer.
He started treatments right away, but sadly, his cancer was resistant to the chemotherapy.
Despite the gravity of his situation, this young man found the time and strength to send a message to every person out there, and that message is not to delay the doctor’s visit in case you feel something’s wrong with your body.
“I want to push this message because if just one or two people go to the hospital and get checked because of my mistake and my story, that would be amazing,” he said. “They found my cancer at stage three advanced – but if I had just gone to see the doctors earlier, maybe they could have caught it. I was self-employed, and I needed the money, so I just kept powering through. I did what I thought a man needed to do – I was manning up.”
Not losing hope despite the dull prognosis, Liam’s friend, Eve Bannatyne, started a fundraiser which helped raise over £18,000 in donations for Liam’s private treatment because his chemotherapy on the NHS no longer worked.
“I remember I asked what my life span would look like and my doctor said he doesn’t want to give me a timeframe of when my life could end, because he doesn’t want me to focus my whole life around it,” Liam told Metro.
“I agreed and just decided I wanted to get home, fulfil some wishes and just live my life while I can.”
Sadly, Liam passed away on February 1, 2024.
The memorial service for him was led by Rev John Hearn. Liam’s dad spoke of his son and said, “Liam was a beautiful, funny, caring, big softie. As a kid he was very loving towards his mam and dad. There was always a cuddle. He also had his cheeky side.”
Liam’s life story serves as a reminder that we should always prioritize our health, even if that means losing out on wages or rescheduling certain commitments and duties.
We are so very sorry for this brave man’s passing. May he rest in peace.
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Love and Peace