‘HELP SAVE PAUL’S LIFE’
THE family of a dad-of-four have made an emotional appeal to help save his life.
Paul Sumpter, from Aberdare, was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer and has been given just 12 months to live.
The 51-year-old had not been particularly unwell so it was a shock to his family when he received the devastating diagnosis at Merthyr Tydfil’s Prince Charles Hospital on April 23.
The only cure for pancreatic cancer is an operation to remove the tumour, but NHS surgeons told the Sumpter family it was too close to an artery to operate.
However, after hours of extensive research they found a leading professor, working out of a private hospital in London, who specialises in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Son Daniel said they spoke to the professor who gave them hope and said there is a 40% chance that, after three months of chemotherapy and one month of radiotherapy, he would be able to re-assess his case and would be hopeful he could operate.
The diagnosis gave Daniel, his son Sam and sisters Jessica and Amy, the hope they so desperately needed to set up a fundraising page to raise money for the surgery. To date, more than £11,000 has been raised.
They said: “On April 23, our lives changed forever.
“After feeling a little unwell for just a few short days our dad underwent many tests.
“He was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer at just 51 years old and has to fight for his life.
“It has come as a complete shock to our family. Our dad is a dedicated family man who loves spending time and travelling with our mum Catherine and his four children (us) and his two granddaughters – Ruby and Elsie.
“He is truly loved by all of us including his brother Elliot and sister Tracey.
“With no operation it leaves us with the ‘let’s enjoy the rest of the time we have left together’ scenario. Which is truly a sad place to be, none of us are ready to say goodbye to our dad.
“So we and our dad have decided to fight.”
Daniel added: “I can’t describe how bad it has been, especially at this time [during lockdown] when I can’t be with them.
“We only live about two miles away, but it feels like a million because we can’t be with him and mum. Our dad is fit and healthy and has never needed to stay in hospital before.
“He’d never had any medical problems other than breaking his wrist trying to be a heroic goalkeeper.
“He is perfectly healthy, even now if you saw my dad you wouldn’t even know he was ill.
“He is still active and is currently being forced to decorate the garden so
we can have a party together after lockdown!
“Personally my dad is more than a father to me, we have always been close and are like best friends having shared a football pitch together (usually him telling me what to do), we’ve run marathons, watched our beloved Leeds United for many years together.
“This operation if it can be done will be in the region of £50,000 but this will be worth every penny, to see our dad live and be able to enjoy life with his family!”
The family are now planning fundraising events, including a treadmill challenge on May 24, and have been inundated with support on the page.
Daniel says: “The response has been amazing, and the support we have had has been amazing and it has given us all hope.
“The most important thing is that it has change dad’s mindset. The support has given him the will to carry on and to fight this
“The generous donations will go directly towards our dad’s operation.
“If the operation can’t be done, which we are all hoping won’t be the case, then the money will be split between Pancreatic Cancer UK charity and the NHS.”
■ You can find the fundraising page at gofundme.com/f/Help-Our-DadBeat-Pancreatic-Cancer-now