BYE BYE BRAVE DAD
Father of three loses fight for life as wife battles terminal cancer
TRAGIC Ed Stewart, who was battling terminal cancer with his sick wife, has died.
The 42-year-old father of three passed away on Friday after a short battle with the disease.
He and wife Karen, 36, touched the hearts of the nation when it was revealed both had terminal cancer.
Friend Maureen O’halloran said: “When Ed found out, it was too late, it had gone too far.”
A Father-of-three battling terminal cancer alongside his wife, who was also diagnosed with an incurable form of the disease, has died.
Edward Stewart’s harrowing story broke hearts nationwide when it was revealed he and Karen, 36, were both battling the illness.
The 42-year-old, who began to feel unwell at the start of this year, passed away on Friday.
Initially, family and friends believed Ed, from Coolock in North Dublin, was suffering from stress and even strain on his heart due to Karen’s third diagnosis with cancer.
But after visiting the doctor and receiving a scan, the young dad received more shocking news, leaving the family devastated when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May.
He had been Karen’s rock and main carer throughout her long cancer battle – and was father to their children Keeva, 10, Finn, eight, and four-year-old Erin.
According to rip.ie, funeral arrangements have yet to be organised but the family have asked for “flowers only” donations to St Francis Hospice.
Ed is survived by his wife and children, mother Rita, brothers, sisters, mother-in-law, brothers-inlaw, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, kind-hearted readers have donated more than €30,000 to help the family.
The Irish Daily Mirror and RSVP magazine highlighted their plight last week as they prepared to say goodbye to their children.
Speaking to RSVP before Ed’s death, Karen warned: “If you have pain, go get it checked, if you have a lump get it checked.
“It might be nothing but could be something. Don’t leave it until it’s too late. If you have a pain, especially if you have it weeks, you should seek medical advice.
“And if you don’t get relief straight away just go private.
“It costs around €250 and you get the results faxed to your doctor that day, that is how my husband found out. We’d been putting it down to a suspected heart attack he had in February.” Family friend Maureen O’halloran told Neil Prendeville on Cork’s Red FM: “When Ed found out he had pancreatic cancer, it was too late, it had gone too far, it was terminal.
“They could do treatment but only to buy him time.
“Then Karen found out the same thing, they could buy her time and it was all in the one go.”
“How do you tell young children. How do you tell an eight and fouryear-old this news?
“That will be a tough one. They wanted to arrange a future for their children as this is a blow for two people who thought they would raise their children together.”
To donate, go to www.gofundme. com/karenandedmemories