The family of a Co Tyrone dad-of-six diagnosed with stage four lung cancer are raising funds so he can receive emergency medical treatment.
Ryan Hearne, 37, from Dungannon, went into hospital with coronavirus and it was here he was diagnosed with lung cancer last Thursday. The family are in a "state of shock", as Ryan's mum had passed away with the same disease six years ago.
Now, they're attempting to fundraise the £53,000 needed to allow him to receive emergency medical treatment at the Hope4Cancer clinic in Mexico.
Ryan's sister, Marissa McCann, told Belfast Live that the family are "trying everything" to help him recover.
She said: "He had went into hospital with Covid. If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have found out he had cancer. He went in and they thought he had a collapsed lung, then they thought it was tuberculosis, but on Thursday past they diagnosed him with stage four lung cancer.
"It was definitely such a shock. We're trying everything to help. We're changing up his diet at the moment and doing all we can."
Describing her brother as a "gentleman", Marissa added that he "lives for his kids", the youngest of which is three-years-old.
"He's a pure gentleman with a massive heart. He's very charismatic, with a great sense of humour so that will pull him through. Ryan would help anybody out, everyone speaks so highly of him, and he's very well-respected," she continued.
"He's a single parent and a full-time father. Ryan is dedicated to his kids, they're his life. His kids need him, it would just break their wee lives to be without him."
In one day, the fundraiser for Ryan has raised over £10,000 to help him towards treatment. The funds raised will go towards his three-week-long treatment and a family member being able to go along with him for support.
"The treatment is a holistic approach," Marissa said.
"The place, Hope4Cancer in Mexico, has lots of great success stories, and they said they would be able to treat Ryan and he would have a good chance.
"We would be very grateful to anyone wishing to donate. We just need all the support and help we can get. The sooner we can raise the funds, the sooner we can book the flights and start his treatment."
If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, you can do so by clicking here.
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