Devastating double blow to ‘healthy’ dad Paralysed by rare disease – now he has cancer
A“P E R F E C T LY healthy” dad who was left paralysed after being diagnosed with a rare disease is now fighting cancer in a tragic double blow.
Stephen Collier was out walking his dog when he felt pins and needles all over his body in December 2014.
Once home, the 64-year-old began struggling to breathe and was immediately rushed to hospital.
Soon after his arrival, Stephen stopped breathing and was unable to move. In order to save his life, doctors placed him into a coma - one he would not wake up from until six months later. When he came round, Stephen was told he had Guillain-barre syndrome.
The very serious condition affects the nerves and impacts a sufferer’s feet, hands and limbs. Though some people make a full recovery, it can be lifethreatening and can cause long-term problems.
Sadly Stephen, from Rochdale, learned his body was half paralysed and he would never walk again. Due to the muscles in his tongue not working, he also had to learn how to speak again - a challenge that would take him several years to overcome.
Stephen now uses a wheelchair and lives in a care home. The condition led to him developing heart disease and diabetes and he needs to take around 25 separate medications a day. Despite the devastating disorder, Stephen is still able to strap a brush to his hand and paint.
But tragically, Stephen was dealt another heartbreaking blow when he was diagnosed with skin cancer last month. His daughter, Melissa Collier, said: “He can’t exercise and he has loads of broken bones, he’s quite accidental. They don’t heal because of the illness; he has casts all over him.
“They found a melanoma and think he has skin cancer. We’ve all had to stay strong. Most people recover from GuillainBarre syndrome but my dad never did because of his age and it went misdiagnosed. Every minute was crucial.
“Doctors said he wouldn’t live five months.
“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster really - it seems to be one illness after another.”
Melissa is now raising funds to buy her dad a new electric wheelchair. “I want to use the money raised for equipment and treatment to enhance and enrich his life after being told he doesn’t have long left,” the 23-year-old, who works as a carer and lives in Stalybridge, continued.
“It’s my turn to give something back to him! I intend to spend the money on a better electric wheelchair that doesn’t die every time we go out and treatments etc. He’s never had much and I want to do something nice for him while there’s still time.”
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