Many of us have either been this person or know someone who, despite being uncomfortable, in pain, or ill, refuses to see a doctor. While sometimes the problem just goes away on its own, many other times it just continues to get worse and worse until it is a true emergency. This is what Liam Griffiths, a 31-year-old terminally ill man from the UK, is now advocating about. He believes that if he had sought help sooner, he might have been able to beat his now eventually fatal cancer. This is his message to the world.
Advertisement
Liam’s Battle With Terminal Cancer
Liam Griffiths is a 31-year-old man from Middlesborough, in the UK, and he is currently battling peritoneal cancer. This is a form of cancer that affects the lining of the abdomen. Unfortunately, despite valiant efforts to beat his cancer, Liam has been informed that his condition is terminal and that he may not have long left to live. (1)
Despite the gravity of his situation, Liam is using his experience to warn others not to make the same mistake that he did. He revealed in an interview that he began experiencing stomach swelling, chronic constipation, cramps and vomiting back in March of this year. However, despite these symptoms, he decided not to seek medical attention at the time as he was self-employed and could not afford to lose out on wages.
Liam’s symptoms continued to worsen, and eventually, he was forced to go to the hospital, where he was initially diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. However, doctors got back in touch a month later and informed Liam that he actually had peritoneal cancer and would need to undergo chemotherapy treatment to fight the disease. Unfortunately, Liam’s cancer proved to be resistant to treatment, and he has now been informed that his condition is terminal. Now, Liam urged others not to make the same mistake that he did in ignoring symptoms and delaying seeking medical attention.
“I want to push this message because if just one or two people go to the hospital and get checked because of my mistake and my story, that would be amazing,” he said. “They found my cancer at stage three advanced – but if I had just gone to see the doctors earlier, maybe they could have caught it. I was self-employed, and I needed the money, so I just kept powering through. I did what I thought a man needed to do – I was manning up.”
Despite the difficult position that Liam finds himself in, he is using his situation to try to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of one’s health and to encourage others not to make the same mistake that he did. In fact, a fundraiser has been launched by Liam’s close friend, Eve Bannatyne, to help him raise money for his medical expenses. So far, the fundraiser has brought in over £18,000 in donations.
“I want to push this message because if just one or two people go to the hospital and get checked because of my mistake and my story that would be amazing.”
Liam’s story is a reminder of the importance of prioritizing one’s health and taking symptoms seriously. It can be all too easy to put off seeking medical attention, particularly if one is self-employed or concerned about missing out on wages, but as Liam’s experience shows, the consequences of delaying treatment can be severe.
There are many different kinds of cancer, and they all have signs and symptoms that are unique to them. That being said, some symptoms tend to be a common thread between all of them. According to Spotting Cancer.org, these are the seven most common signs of cancer (2):
Lumps and masses underneath the skin
Fatigue and weakness
Unintended weight gain or loss
Skin change
Persistent cough or trouble breathing
Unusual bleeding
Bowel changes
Having regular medical check-ups, knowing your family history for cancer and disease, and paying attention to changes to your health, energy levels, and the other most common signs of cancer can help you to catch it earlier. The earlier you find cancer, the better the outcomes.
We wish Liam all the best in his battle against cancer and hope that his message helps to encourage others to take care of their health.
