Family’s tributes to ‘inspirational’ Tony

TRIBUTES have been paid to an inspirational man who went on to make 15 months of special memories with his family after doctors told him he had two months to live.

Anthony Smith had just celebrated his ninth wedding anniversary and welcomed his first grandchild into the world when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given a prognosis of between two and six months.

In a year his family describe as “heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time” Anthony, known as Tony, took the decision not to have any treatment and enjoy the time he had left with family and friends.

He also became determined to raise as much money as he could for Pancreatic Cancer Action to try and avoid his own heartbreaking situation happening to anyone else.

Fifteen months on and Tony, from South Shields, raised more than £13,000 for charity, saw his son get married and spent a first precious Christmas with his granddaughter Betsy before finally losing his battle with the disease last month, at the age of 55.

Now, his family have paid tribute to the man who inspired so many with his selfless actions – and vowed to continue his campaign for cancer funds and awareness.

Originally from Darlington, Tony had a long and successful career in the construction industry with projects including the South Shields Library, King Coal Mining Museum and Colmans Seafood Temple.

He had three children – David, Jack and Hannah – from his first marriage, and became a stepdad to Rebecca and Sarah when he married Hazel in 2008.

But on Hazel and Tony’s ninth wedding anniversary their worlds were shattered when he received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Previously fit and healthy, Tony had no reason to suspect anything was wrong until he started showing symptoms of jaundice.

He went to the doctor believing he had simply “overdone it” on a family holiday in Spain at Easter.

But scans revealed he had a tumour in his pancreas. By the time the cancer was found it had spread to his lungs and lymph nodes, putting it in the stage 4 category.

Tony knew he wanted to raise funds and awareness of the disease.

Speaking in July last year, he said: “I want to make sure other people don’t find out at the stage I did. It breaks my heart that I won’t see my beautiful granddaughter grow up.”

Tony’s diagnosis came nine weeks before his son Jack was due to get married. His first goal was to be at the wedding no matter how he felt on the day. He made it not only to the wedding, but to the first wedding anniversary a year later.

Tony also threw himself into fundraising, walking 10,000 steps a day through June last year to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Action.

His family paid tribute to a “kind and loving husband and father”, after he died at home in August.

They said: “His quick wit and dry sense of humour will be missed by all and his passing has left a massive hole in all of our hearts.”

Hazel and her family will be continuing Tony’s legacy by going on with his fundraising campaign.

• To donate to Tony’s appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ Anthony-Smith63 TONY SMITH Tony Smith at the wedding of his son Jack, nine weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer last year Tony at the graduation of his stepdaughter Rebecca. His family paid tribute to the grandad, who raised more than £13,000 for charity in the 15 months after his diagnosis