‘Live life to the max’ says incurable cancer patient
ADAD who visited a walk-in centre after experiencing shoulder pain was told he had a devastating and incurable condition.
Former pub landlord Allan Jones, 48, lives with his wife Becky, 47, in Runcorn.
In July this year, Allan started to feel pain in his right shoulder, something he originally put down to pain from a previous operation.
Becky, who before meeting Allan grew up in Anfield, said: “He has always suffered a bit with his back because of an operation when he had a disc removed.
“We just assumed it was that because his shoulder drops when he’s in pain.
“He went to the walk-in-centre in Halton Hospital but the pain seemed to get progressively worse.
“A few days later, he went back and they thought it might have been a blood clot because he was complaining it was hurting when he was breathing.”
Becky said she took Allan to Warrington Hospital where they initially thought he had tendonitis in his shoulder and ran some tests.
He was also given a CT scan because of the pain he was experiencing while breathing.
Becky said: “The scan revealed it wasn’t a blood clot but they saw something on his liver at the bottom of the scan.”
Allan was kept in overnight for further scans and the next day his family received a call.
Becky said: “Me and his mum and his dad got called to the hospital on the Tuesday to say that it was cancer.
“It hit him hard because he blames himself really bad as he’s always smoked.”
Becky added: “The doctors explained you don’t have pain from your liver as such - they said the way the liver disperses pain is in your right shoulder.”
The tumour found in Allan’s liver was the cause of his shoulder pain, and a few weeks later, a biopsy revealed even more devastating news.
Allan was told he had a rare form of cancer called a neuroendocrine tumour in his liver.
Doctors told the family only 36,000 people in the world have this form of
HUNDREDS of Star Wars figures plus vehicle and rare and unique items connected to the franchise are to go under the hammer at a Runcorn auction house in a business park not very far, far away.
Most of the lots are from a single collection that took the owner more than a decade to build and spans the original 1970s toys to modern releases and limited
edition items.
He now hopes to use the money to help his children take their first steps onto the property ladder, with a portion of the proceeds to be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Organisers at British Toy Auctions said more than 400 lots are up for grabs.
Items were sourced from collectors forums, specialist auctions and regular buying trips to the USA in addition to attending events such as the San Diego Comic-Con to find exclusive pieces and other rarities.
They include a Jakks Pacific 31-inch Clone Shock Trooper, a framed Darth Vader montage of body actor Dave Prowse and voice actor James Earl
Jones, a display of C-3PO and R2-D2 with the Death Star plans, and two unique dioramas created by the seller featuring 6-inch Black Series action figures and various parts of vehicles and models to form what British Toy Auctions called “a spectacular reimagining of scenes from the films cancer diagnosed every year, and that Allan’s tumour was incurable and inoperable.
Doctors at the Clatterbridge Centre in Liverpool are now treating him with hormone injections in the hope of slowing down the cancer to give Allan a bit more time.
Depending on the outcome of the injections, he may then be given a course of radiotherapy and further scans are still needed to determine where the cancer has spread.
A Gofundme page has been set up by a family friend to try and help Allan - who is unable to work during this time.
Allan and Becky - who both have children from previous relationships - met 16 years ago on a blind date and were married just nine months later after a whirlwind romance.
For most of that time they have run pubs together before, more recently, both going on to work in the prison service.
Becky said: “We’ve never been on holiday, it’s always been work, work, work, the years we’ve been together.
“We were going to go to America for his 50th, but now all that has gone right out of the window.” and true one-offs”.
The owner, whose background is in architecture, created the dioramas during lockdown.
About 130 graded items will be available to bid on including B-Wing ships and action figures such as the ever-popular Boba Fett model in original packaging, factory error Black Series models and other rare examples.
Organisers are expecting a “huge amount” of interest.
Simon Kelly, valuer at British Toy Auctions, said: “The scale of the collection is phenomenal and the seller has obviously taken time to source the best pieces available making this group one of the finest we have seen.
“All the valuers have been amazed by the collection as you can see by the picture of associate cataloguer Ashley Martin holding a Jakks Pacific 31” Clone Shock Trooper.”
British Toy Auctions holding the auction at The Auction Centre on Berkeley Court in Manor Park, Runcorn.
The Star Wars auction is due to take place on Friday, October 15.
In a statement on the fundraising page, Becky added: “We have worked, lived, loved and laughed our way through life together. We have made some incredible memories along the way.
“And that will continue with the time we have ahead of ourselves.”
Allan said: “As much as I may fight (and I will never stop) this is one battle I am not going to win. The cancer I have 90% of the time is not diagnosed until it becomes a secondary in another organ or part of the body and I fall into that 90%.
“It’s been a pleasure knowing every single one of you and please all of you live your lives to the max because none of us know when it will be over. Love you all.”