At 36, I had everything to live for now I’m desperately hoping I’m one of the 3% who survive my cancer
A MAN who has been diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer is planning to marry his soul mate this year as he says he won’t die from the illness.
Edward Lord had been on a family trip to Norfolk when he started to experience severe stomach pains.
The 36-year-old called his GP and after an ultrasound he was told he had an issue with his liver.
On August 27 he was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer that had spread to his liver and was told that he had several tumours.
Bowel cancer, also known as colon cancer, is the second deadliest form of the disease in the UK, but it can be cured if it’s caught early enough.
Early diagnosis saves lives and is why The Sun launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign in April 2018, calling on the Government to lower the screening age for the disease from 60 to 50.
Bowel Cancer UK also previously launched its 'Never Too Young' campaign after it was revealed that millions of people were unaware that you could get bowel cancer under the age of 50.
Edward, from Harringay, London says he wants to become one of the lucky three per cent of people who survive the illness.
Given an 18-month prognosis, art technician Edward, refuses to give in and with the help of family, including his fiancée Katherine Vagg, 34, is for alternative medication to compliment his NHS treatment, as well as bringing his wedding day forward by a year.
Edward, who proposed to Katherine, a special effects make-up artist, over Christmas and had planned to tie-the-knot in September 2022, said: “Cancer is not going to stop me from marrying Katherine.
Edward, whose sister Kate Cranshaw, 37, a mental health nurse, started the GoFundMe page, said: "We started raising the money as soon as we could, as Avastin isn’t approved for this type of cancer, so we have to fund the treatment ourselves, which we were told costs around £5,000 per month.
“We were blown away when we hit our £30,000 target within 24 hours.
"We’re now raising £100,000 for other treatments, such as off label medications that block metabolic and signalling pathways of the cancer cells. I’m blown away by people’s kindness.
“I’ve spoken to a nutritionist, too, as I’m trying to give myself the best chance of beating this.
"If money is left over I want to use it to start a charity to help other people unable to afford treatment that is needed but not funded by the NHS.
"I’m going to give it everything. I’m remaining positive, because half the battle is in my head.
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel real. It's like I’m in a dream world.”
'LIFE IS PRECIOUS'
As part of his vow to live life to its fullest, Edward is determined to marry Katherine and says she is ‘all he’s ever dreamed of’.
He said: “Katherine is the most amazing person. From the moment we spent that weekend in Norfolk together I’ve been in love with her.
“We’re moving our wedding forward by a year. We haven’t pinned down a date, but we’re thinking somewhere between November 2021 and January 2022. "
Thankful for the public’s kindness, Edward says the most rewarding part is having a new outlook on people and the world.
“There was a time where I was cynical about people. But this experience has changed my opinion as so many people have wanted to help.
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"If I can look back one day when I've got through it and I'm in remission, I will be glad that it happened to me, because it has already made me a completely different person.
"I know how precious life is. And I know how precious friendship and a loving family is and I'll be focusing on that for the rest of my life - not on my salary, or what job I do. None of that matters at all."
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