Pals rally to help dad hit by cancer blow
AGROUP of friends have rallied round a dad-of-two who has been diagnosed with stage four cancer.
Steven Gorton, 34, from Skelmersdale, was first diagnosed with optical melanoma in 2016, a cancer of the skin which affected him around the eye.
After surgery he recovered but he was struck with more bad news just last month when he was diagnosed with stage four melanoma again.
Stevie Kelly, also 34, one of Mr Gorton’s best friends, has described him as a loyal and kind companion.
He said: “He’s a good lad. But he’s a quiet lad, he’s very protective of his girlfriend and his kids and family.
“When it comes to anything to do with friends then you can always count on him to be there for you, as his mates we are trying to return the favour.”
The pair met when they were at school together and they have been friends ever since.
They went on their first holiday together at 17 and have stood by one another for the best part of two decades.
In 2016 Mr Gorton was diagnosed with optical melanoma, a cancer that affects the eye.
“It was hard to see that, he was only 30 at the time,” said Mr Kelly. “But we knew he was strong, it was relatively small and only in his eye so they were able to remove it before Christmas.
“He had optical detachment surgery then we thought that would be the end of it.”
Mr Gorton was able to recover from his cancer and it looked as though he would be able to spend his time with his girlfriend, Beckie, and his two children, Jack and Georgie, completely free of the disease.
But in June he started to feel ill again and received his second cancer diagnosis in three years.
Mr Kelly said the diagnosis would have come sooner if it weren’t for the pandemic.
Mr Kelly said: “We got the news on June 11, that Steven’s cancer had come back.
“He was supposed to be having tests every three months to see if the cancer had come back but they stopped because of the coronavirus.
“He felt unwell in June, then it turned out that he had stage four melanoma.”
Mr Gorton’s cancer has now spread throughout his body affecting his liver, lungs and bones.
To make matters worse, neither chemotherapy or radiotherapy has any effect on the melanoma so he only has one line of treatment left: immunotherapy.
His partner,
Beckie
Burges, said: “It’s a severe and aggressive form of cancer.
“The GP told us that the chance of this treatment working is really very small but he still wanted to try.
“We hope the immunotherapy can slow the cancer.”
“It’s heartbreaking to see,” added Mr Kelly.
“There’s a group of us who are ready to support him, we all met at school and have been friends for 20-odd years.
“You just don’t think its going to happen to someone you know or someone your age. We are just trying to help him and his family.”
Mr Gorton cannot work while he undergoes cancer treatment.
Mr Kelly, along with his friends Stephen Pierce, Mark Cain, Lee Frederickson, Chris Smith, Liam Smith, Kevin Monaghan, Peter Lawton and Laurence Bennett, have set up an online fundraising page to support Mr Gorton and his family.
To donate, visit uk. gofundme.com/f/ we38w5-steven-gorton