Dying dad’s wish after cancer diagnosis
A Paisley dad has vowed to fight his terminal cancer in a desperate bid to watch his young son grow up for as long as he can.
Ross Mccuaig was diagnosed with aggressive oesophagus cancer in August last year after suffering agonising heartburn.
Doctors then gave Ross the devastating news that he has between two months and two years left to live.
The 41-year-old revealed it breaks his heart when nine-year-old son Robbie asks his wife Lesley, 50,‘is dad going to die?’, making him determined to keep fighting for his family.
The brave dad, who is originally from Dumbarton and now lives in Paisley, is now spending the time he has left making as
many memories with his family as possible under lockdown restrictions.
Ross said:“It’s my wee boy. I could cry any time I think about him dealing with this.
“I’ve got to try and be here as long as I can for him and see him grow.
“My cancer is the kind that, once you find out, it’s normally too late as it can’t be cured.
“Doctors said I’ve got two months to two years left, but I am currently trying to fight to give me more time with my family.
“It is horrible because these are the times you want to be away with family doing stuff and making memories, but we can’t do that because of lockdown.
“We go walks every day and out and about, but that’s it really.
“I just want to be there for him and my family.
“Robbie is now asking questions like‘is dad going to die’and it’s really heartbreaking – what do you say to that?”
Dad-of-three Ross began to suffer agonising heartburn just before lockdown started last year and was given acid medication on March 3.
However, after the medicine made no difference, the struggling dad returned to doctors and underwent scans.
On August 11, he was given the shock diagnoses of incurable stage three oesophagus cancer at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley.
The disease was attacking his gullet, with a CT scan revealing two tumours in his liver and another in his lymph nodes.
He is now undergoing chemotherapy to give him the best chance at living as long as possible.
Before Christmas, he was thrilled to see his tumours had slightly shrunk, but, sadly, recent results on February 10 showed they had then grown again.
Ross has since set up a Gofundme to help support his family while he fights for his life.
He had to give up work as a cleaner to undergo chemotherapy after his wife was paid off from her job.
Now wife Lesley is working as a cleaner while Ross receives Universal Credit, leaving him worried about how to pay the bills.
Ross said:“I have had to stop working, although I do get some benefits.
“My wife was paid off and is now getting some cleaning shifts to try and help us, but we have now reached a point where money coming in just does not cover money going out.
“Depending on my results, we may look at cannabis oil too.
“But mortgage worries and bills should be the last thing I’m worrying about.
“People have said to me for the last couple of months to do a Gofundme, but we didn’t want to as we feel embarrassed, but it’s now got to stage we need to do something.
“I just want to be able to concentrate on fighting the cancer and not watching my wife struggle on a daily basis with trying to work, run the house and support my nine- year -old boy.”
You can donate to Ross’Gofundme at https://bit.ly/3ke2xpb