A dad of two thought he had a blood clot but was later told he had a rare form of cancer.
Chris Shaw noticed odd swelling around his calf muscle but put it down to a blood clot before visiting his doctor but when he went for tests it was found that the dairy farmer in fact had rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that forms in soft tissue. Chris went for tests which confirmed that the cancer was also in his lymph nodes and both thighs, and secondary on his hip and pelvis.
The 37-year-old was diagnosed shortly after New Year on January 17, with him currently on his fifth round of chemotherapy as part of a two-year treatment plan which also includes radiotherapy and targeted therapy. Chris's wife Sarah, along with their two children Ryan, 10, and Amy, six, will be taking part in a charity run to raise money for life-saving treatment.
READ MORE: 'Cheerful' teenager died falling from bridge after night out
Sarah told our sister title LancsLive : “My husband is a young, fit, healthy, hardworking man. He’s never ill, until a large instant swelling appeared in his calf muscle which we suspected was a DVT blood clot.
"But then we were told the worst news. We have taken in so much information as a family and it is draining, emotionally and physically. The worry is horrendous and living in the what if and limbo.
"We told our children and were open with them, we bought cancer support books and they shaved daddy’s hair off, and we are finding our new routine slowly. We are at the beginning of our journey and I hope and pray on a miracle that my husband heals, and we ring that bell in remission.
"Not only that, but for a long time. We also plan to renew our wedding vows after this journey with a big party."
Now, Sarah, from Garstang, is now encouraging women and men of all ages and abilities to join them by signing up for their local event at raceforlife.org. Every year around 44,900 people are diagnosed with cancer in the North West and one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime.
Money raised at Race for Life enables scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer - helping to save more lives. Sarah, 33, who works as a nurse in a care home, said: “I run Race For Life most years and it’s such a special event, but this year will be extra special for us. My children are running Pretty Muddy too with me and they are so excited to be running for Daddy.
“This year there will be those knowing looks between people who are also there to run for their loved one, knowing that we understand what the other is going through, because we are going through it too. The emotion of the day and the atmosphere is like nothing else, it’s an amazing event.”
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring series of 3k, 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer by funding crucial research. The Race for Life events at Moor Park, on Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston on Saturday, June 11, is open to people of all ages and abilities.
Jemma Humphreys, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson in the North West, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Sarah and her children for all of their support. Sadly, cancer affects all of us in some way. Whether people are living with cancer, taking part in honour of or in memory of a loved one with cancer, or signing up to protect their own children’s future, everyone has a reason to Race for Life. So we’re asking people across the region: who will you Race for?"
