A Belfast runner says his miraculous turnaround in his battle with pancreatic cancer inspired him to bet his surgeon that they'd run the London Marathon together.
Aidan O'Neill, four weeks into recovery from a life-saving operation, intends to make good on that bet as soon as he is fighting fit.
In January 2022, Aidan got the worst news possible - he had inoperable pancreatic cancer and he was told to "get your affairs in order".
Read more: Belfast runner wins award for coaching while battling cancer
Even with that devastating development, Aidan with the help of his friends, refused to give up and his perseverance has been rewarded with the news that his body is cancer-free.
Aidan heard of the Care Oncology London Protocol which helps make the body metabolically inhospitable to cancer.
He followed this medication protocol under the care of Dr Hariharan Kuhan.
His family and friends had rallied around him in the aftermath of the news, as did his running club and money was raised to get cutting-edge treatment for him in Oxford and surgery in London.
Aidan underwent 12 rounds of Folfirinox under the care of the Belfast Trust which successfully reduced his tumour, but even though it was shrunk the only cure for pancreatic cancer is surgery.
Further research led him to the care of Dr James Good in genesis oxford where Aidan underwent SABR treatment in the hope of shrinking the tumour to be operable.
This treatment is not available in NI and the community successfully raised £30,000 to cover the cost in one week. Aidan travelled to Oxford and had this treatment over two weeks in December.
The treatment was successful and the highly skilled surgeons in London were willing to give Aidan a chance at an operation.
This was done under Mr Charles Imber at the Cleveland Clinic London as it was private with further funds needed to be raised.
His loved ones again set about raising further funds for his recent operation, which saw two-thirds of his pancreas removed, along with his spleen at the Cleveland Clinic in London.
"I'm so delighted, but there's only one thing, they're going to still send me for another six batches of chemo over three months, just as a precaution," the dad-of-three told Belfast Live.
"It was a bit of a shock to be honest to hear about the chemo, because I did have a rough time with the chemo last time and I was very sick.
"But I suppose if this is to get it all out of my system, it's another three months, I've came this far and there's no point in putting the brakes on now."
The 57-year-old has made headlines in Northern Ireland for his dedication to his club, Running Anon, where members speak of him in glowing terms.
He said that he felt truly appreciative of the life that has been given back to him and said his family, friends and the kindness of strangers are all to thank.
"I am one lucky wee man and I am just so grateful for what people have done for me, it's unreal," he said.
"But to have a chance to live, I was just over the moon.
"I'm just so lucky I have a good team at my side that helped me with all the fundraising for that.
"The main thing I want to say is I appreciate everything so much that everyone has done and I really do feel lucky."
The West Belfast man said even in getting his operation, he was already looking forward to the future, having made a bet with the surgeon who operated on him, Charles Imber, that he'd 'pay it forward' by running the London Marathon with him next year.
"I was talking to him and we made a bit of a bet, he actually had ran two marathons," Aidan said.
"And I said fingers crossed, we get through this year, we'll raise awareness for pancreatic cancer and we'll run the London Marathon next year.
"So I've got a year to get back on my feet and I'm going to get back on my feet and I'm going to get back to running, because I'm a fighter and I love running with my heart.
"See if they were to contact me and say that X amount of people have been ill with pancreatic cancer and we're going to put a team together to run it, I would be away in the morning.
"If I could do anything for awareness, to help anybody in any way, I would love it because so many people have helped me and I would love to do it."
Aidan was recently recognised a Sport NI Sportmaker Community Coach of the Year for his selfless work in running coaching, even while living with his condition.
For now, he is focussed on building up his strength and taking on what he hopes will be his final round of chemo.
If his life and fighting spirit has shown anything, it hopefully won't be too long before Aidan is back pounding the streets again.
READ NEXT:
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- Derry woman opens up on pancreatic cancer diagnosis at the age of 27
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month: Belfast woman opens up on dad's battle
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