Football coach in cancer battle
A‘SUPER-FIT’ junior football coach says he has been ‘blown away’ by community support after being diagnosed with cancer.
Father-of-one Andy Shaw, who manages the Rossendale Valley Lions under-13s football team, has been told by doctors he has incurable lung cancer, despite being a lifetime non-smoker.
Andy, who lives in Haslingden with his wife Sally, who runs Relish caterers and their 12-yearold son Harry, said the outpouring of support has been “immense”.
He said: “The support has just blown me away, not just the fundraising but the general support - even from people I haven’t seen for years - it’s been out of this world.
“I’m trying to stay strong for my family, but it’s bizarre. I’m a fit, active guy and now I’m walking round on crutches.
“I am determined to keep the team running and see the season out. I have got a lot of local support from the parents and the players, and my dad is helping to coach.”
Andy, 45, had been working as cafe manager at Tor View Specialist School, but was signed off work last June after a fall.
Shortly afterwards, he began suffering excruciating pain in his right hip and pelvis, and was told he was suffering from a variety of muscular conditions.
Determined to recover, Andy hit the gym to try and strengthen his muscles, but the pain continued to increase.
After another fall in February, his sister Nicola Bezer, who works as a nurse, insisted he seek urgent medical treatment and following a visit to the Rossendale Primary Care Centre, he was rushed to A&E at Blackburn Royal.
There doctors broke the shocking news - that he had incurable lung cancer, and his mobility prob- lems were being caused by a tumour in his hip which had eaten away his hip bone.
Andy said: “It’s surreal really at the minute, like having an out of body experience. All this time we thought it was muscular problems, and it turns out it was cancer all along.
“The doctors were really surprised by the amount of damage it’s done to my hip. They were flabbergasted I was doing weightlifting on my leg the day before. I’ve been in really massive pain.”
He added: “I want to say a big thank you to Blackburn Royal, the whole team there have just been incredible.”
Andy will be starting radiotherapy later this month to attempt to restore his quality of life.