Newlywed faces up to his battle with cancer
ON what should have been the happiest day of his life, Philip Meason found himself distracted by a devastating piece of news.
Just two days before getting married, he was diagnosed with an aggressive and inoperable form of cancer.
Without appropriate treatment, which is only partly available on the NHS, doctors say he has a maximum life expectancy of two years.
“On Friday, the day before the wedding, the cancer was on my mind constantly,” Philip, 45, admitted.
“On the wedding day itself we were able to put it to the back of our minds for most of the day and enjoy the occasion.
“But during the vows, when it came to the part about ‘in sickness and in health,’ it did strike a chord with me and made me reflect on how much time I might have left.”
Philip met his wife, Princess Jo Meason, online in December 2016 and travelled to visit her in the Philippines the following May.
“We just hit it off straight away as our sense of humour matched,” he said.
Within months of their first meeting, Philip asked Jo – formerly a nurse working in Saudi Arabia – to marry him on the banks of Lake Vyrnwy, Powys, in November 2017.
“We began the process of filing the appropriate visa applications. We received confirmation of Jo’s visa acceptance at the beginning of July 2018 and doubled our efforts to complete the wedding arrangements.”
But towards the end of July, Philip noticed a large lump under his armpit and decided to visit his GP.
The GP spotted swelling near his neck, as well as under his armpit, and requested a chest X-ray and bloods to be taken.
Despite them coming back clear, he was referred to the ear, nose, and throat unit in Shrewsbury Hospital where doctors arranged an ultrasound for lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.
But on October 4, 2018, Philip was given a diagnosis far worse than he had imagined.
“An oncologist confirmed that I had cancer, but not lymphoma as originally suspected. I had melanoma which had spread to my lymph nodes,” he said.
“I didn’t know a lot about melanoma, so I asked the doctor the dumb question ‘What is the cure?.’
“He just turned around and said, ‘There is no cure.’ I said, ‘Well, we’re getting married in two days’ time,’ and he said, ‘Go and enjoy it.’ “It just took us aback.” Melanoma is a type of skin cancer which is diagnosed in around 13,500 people in the UK every year, with around 2,000 people dying from the disease.
“I work in IT and spend most of my time in an office. I’ve never been a sunbather and when I do go outside it’s normally on my motorbike where I’m head to toe in leather.”
Following a CT scan, it was discovered that the cancer was at stage three, the second most serious, and could not be operated on.
Philip will now start immunotherapy treatment on the NHS on Thursday, November 29, which boosts the immune system to fight against the cancer.
“If the NHS treatment manages to shrink my tumour enough that it could be removed surgically, there is a 50% probability that the cancer will return,” he added.
“My best hope for living a long life and being able to raise a family with my wife is to build up my immune system.”
Philip, from the small village of Four Crosses, Powys, has now set up a GoFundMe page in the hope of undergoing Gerson therapy in Mexico.
The alternative therapy aims to rid the body of toxins and strengthen the body’s immune system even further. Gerson therapists believe people with cancer have too much salt in their bodies compared to the amount of potassium.
They think that eating large quantities of fruit and vegetables will restore the right balance and cleanse the liver, allowing the liver to rid the body of cancer cells.
“When I was first diagnosed I was quite depressed and thought a lot about how many years I might have left,” he added.
“But after doing my own research and seeing some documentaries my outlook has completely changed.
“I am now positive. My wife has been fantastic and I wouldn’t be able to change my diet without her.”
■ If you would like to help Philip, you can go to www. gofundme.com/philip-meason