A dad has just six months left to live after he became unwell with the flu.
Lynne Ritson was on holiday with her sister when they got a call from her brother-in-law John Barker to say he had come down with the flu while working in Swindon, the sisters said they “didn’t think anything of it.”
ButWith him also having a “scratch on his leg”, he soon visited A&E to rule out any infection, but blood tests showed something sinister. Lynne told the ECHO: “They said things had shown up in his blood and it snowballed from there.”
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In August last year, John was told he had cancer. Tragically, now, Lynne said the disease has spread and he has just six months left to live. The family, from West Derby, are trying to raise funds to help him make lasting memories and they hope to go on holiday.
She added: “He had a scratch on his leg and his sons thought it could be an infection because he hadn’t been well but then we were told he had cancer. He’s putting on a brave face saying he’s fine but he’s not.
“He has an eight-year-old daughter and she doesn’t know what’s going on, just that her daddy has the flu. It’s horrible to see, he recently turned 61 and went out for a family meal.”
Lynne went on to say: “It’s scary. He’s in pain but won’t tell anyone. He has two sons, a young daughter and two baby grandkids and he won’t see them grow up.
“We were told he wouldn’t make Christmas, the nurses at Whiston said they didn’t think so, but he’s still here and fighting so we want to do something. They’ve told him he’s looking at six months now but things can change rapidly.”
John, who has liver cancer and leukaemia, desperately wants to take his family on one last holiday over Easter. The fundraiser has so raised over £1,200 and can be found here.
Lynne added: “We’d like to thank everyone who has donated and supported. We never expected to get this much.”
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Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
