Cancer death dad, 45, told he had indigestion
AGLOUCESTERSHIRE family man who was was told he had irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion, when he actually had bowel cancer, has died.
Asa Turley, 45, from Churchdown, passed away peacefully from secondary cancer on March 21. He is remembered for being a man who loved his family and friends, and someone you could rely on.
Asa lived with his partner of three years, Saffron Lockey, 38, and between them they have 10 children. He was a very proud father of Mason, 17 and Finley, 15 and step-father to Noah, 19, Esme, 17, Felicity, 16, Paddy, 15, Verity, 14, Joseph, 10, Dorothy, seven, and Arthur, five.
Saffron said she would like to raise awareness of the illness and hopes people can find the courage to speak up and tell their doctor if they feel they have been given the wrong diagnosis.
In the spring of 2022, Asa had been losing weight, noticed a change in his bowel habits, and had not been feeling very well. He was told he had irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion and it ‘could not be too serious’ as he was too young’.
Asa continued to become more unwell, and on January 5, 2023, Saffron, found him collapsed and unresponsive on the sofa.
He had vomit down his front, which later they were told was faeces, as his body had not been able to process food or pass waste due to the blockage in his bowel.
Saffron called the ambulance service and if she had not found him when she did, he may not have survived. When they arrived to hospital, the doctor said to the couple he was almost certain Asa had a tumour, and would need surgery very soon.
Saffron is hoping to raise awareness of bowel cancer and help people find the courage to be heard if they feel their symptoms are not being addressed correctly. Asa and Saffron were told last year, if the cancer had been found earlier, it would have been potentially easier to treat.
Saffron said: “I really feel we need to raise awareness of bowel cancer as things would have been very different for Asa if he had been diagnosed sooner. He went to the doctor and was told he had indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.
“The thing is, Asa is one of these people who will only go and see the doctor if they are really unwell. He went back to the doctor as he had lost two stone, and they still did not refer him for a colonoscopy.
“Asa was told it could not be anything too serious as he was too young. My mum and I had started to question if he had bowel cancer.
“Asa was showing signs of having bowel cancer. I know this does not sound very nice, however Asa had breath smelling like poo, he was losing weight and had diarrhoea, which are all signs.
“My mum works in palliative care, and she was going to appointments with Asa. We knew something was not right, and mum knew he was not too young to have bowel cancer.”
Saffron said: “The scan confirmed Asa had cancer and the next morning he was taken for a seven hour operation to have it removed. The doctor said he was not sure if Asa would make it through the operation as he was so emaciated, and still he did, and also ended up having a colostomy bag fitted.”
Asa had a round of chemotherapy and a scan in the spring following the operation. Asa was told the cancer had spread to his peritoneum. Then Asa was having immunotherapy every two weeks.
The immunotherapy had worked for a while, however Asa was told, in December, the illness had returned. He had developed small tumours in the stomach area, and the immunotherapy was no longer working.
Saffron fundraised to pay for Asa to have private care and treatment as options on the NHS were limited. The illness overwhelmed Asa, and he passed away.
Asa was a much loved son to Bev and Andy and his step-father Keiron. It has been said Asa made his brother Kane look like the sensible one too.
Saffron said: “Asa was a fantastic father and step father. He was proud of his son Mason’s determined spirit, and of Finley’s talent in MMA.
“He loved working at GT Window Products with his cousin Carl Taylor, and Andy Groves, Wayne Hurdman, Neil Morrison, and Christine Fagan. He loved going for a Burger Star with his friend Ryan and putting the world to rights.
“Asa loved to be loved and was the most reliable person in the world. He loved his family, friends, his cats and he loved me. Not a day went by that he didn’t make us feel that love. He will be missed terribly.”