'Don't delay seeing your GP': Telford cancer survivor makes plea after being given two weeks to live

But on visiting his GP and undertaking numerous rounds of tests and scans, he was eventually diagnosed with testicular cancer and told that, without intervention, he had just two weeks to live.

Barely able to walk due to countless tumours around his body and facing the possibility of dying and leaving his fiancée on her own, he was desperate for a cure.

Jamie, who lives in Telford, found himself residing in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham for four months undergoing a trial of new chemotherapy medication – and later had life saving surgery.

Now at the age of 36 and cancer free, he has spoken out about the need for people to visit their GP immediately if they suspect anything could be wrong with their health.

It comes after there was a significant drop off in appointments at GP surgeries earlier this year, leaving health bosses worried that people could be missing out on care as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Patients were reassured that practices across the county had adapted to stop patients or staff being put at risk of catching coronavirus.

Speaking of his time at Birmingham's QE, Jamie said: “The medication transformed me from being in too much pain to stand to being able to walk the next day. It felt like a miracle.

“But it wasn’t as straightforward as that, sadly. As the cancer was stage four and I had over 50 tumours which had spread to my lungs, liver and arteries.

"I was in a lot of pain, had to sleep upright for four months, and could only go home once a month.”

Worried he might not make it, Jamie and his fiancée Emma, who had also become his carer, wanted to get married as soon as possible and asked his medical team if they should bring it forward.

Jamie’s consultant agreed that he could leave hospital to get married, but insisted that he returned to Birmingham as soon as he came back from his honeymoon to have life saving surgery.

Surgery

The operation removed one of his testicles, which although reduced the chances of the cancer returning, also limited his hopes of being able to have a baby with his new wife – something they had always dreamed of.

Jamie, who had no family history of cancer, was put under a strict diet plan and forced to track everything he ate and drank.

Avoiding red meat and alcohol were imperative.

Feeling much stronger and more certain about living a long, healthy life, Jamie became focused on the future.

He said: “The cancer and my recovery knocked us for six and put all our plans on hold.

"We were still renting although we’d wanted to buy our own home for years. I went into remission for five years and was counting down the days to my final medical appointment all the while looking forward to house hunting. Then an all too familiar pain returned.”

Recognising a familiar dull ache in 2013, Jamie acted fast and sought advice from his GP who sent him for a scan immediately.

The results showed that he had a small tumour on his kidney and they would need to perform a partial nephrectomy to remove the cancer.

Luckily the operation went smoothly and Jamie returned home the same week.

Once again, Jamie was put into five years of remission – and his life and home buying plans into limbo.

Dream

In 2014, determined not to let it take over his life, the young couple decided to pursue their dream of having a baby.

Knowing that this meant adoption, they prepared themselves for a lengthy wait, only to be approved and matched with a newborn baby boy in a matter of months.

“You always think it won’t happen to you, but I’m living proof that it can," Jamie said.

“If you suspect anything could be wrong, then don’t delay – go and see your GP as soon as possible.

"It’s very, very hard coming to terms with what you’ve been through, so much so that at times, life post-cancer feels harder than when you’re mid treatment.

"It’s not just finding life insurance or having children that’s hard – it’s so many things.

"You feel like an outsider. My mental health has suffered enormously, too.

"I think my late diagnosis and extent of my tumours contributed to that. I can’t stress enough that if you notice anything is different, anything at all, then go to your GP immediately.”

After buying a home, Jamie said he also struggled to find life insurance but finally secured a policy through The Insurance Surgery.

He says it has helped him to secure a significantly higher mortgage which means the family can move to a more suitable home.

“We’ve already started looking and hope to find somewhere very soon,” added Jamie.