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Doctors dismissed man who felt like he was 'walking in flippers' before incurable cancer diagnosis

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Published 09:50 9 Jul 2025 GMT+1

Doctors dismissed man who felt like he was 'walking in flippers' before incurable cancer diagnosis

A chiropractor declined treatment because his pain was so bad

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Doctors dismissed a man before he was given an incurable diagnosis.

Mart Roe’s feet became so numb that he ended up feeling like he was ‘walking in flippers’ in 2020.

The 62-year-old woke up with a very sore back one morning in August, starting off as a ‘niggly’ pain. This soon turned into a ‘horrendous’ sharp, stabbing pain, so he booked in with a chiropractor in the belief he had slipped a disc or trapped a nerve.

However, the man from Basingstoke said he was in such bad pain he ‘couldn’t even get on the table’. The chiropractor therefore ended up declining treatment and Mart consulted his GP.

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He said he was told the twinge between his shoulder blades was due to a virus and would eventually resolve itself, but it turned out to be a sign of his cancer.

Mart is determined to be 'living his best life' (PA Real Life)
Mart is determined to be 'living his best life' (PA Real Life)

Mart knew it was something more serious when he began experiencing ‘numbness from his chest downwards’.

“I remember pinching myself, and it didn’t hurt as much as you thought it might,” he told PA Real Life. “But my feet were perhaps the most uncomfortable because it felt like they were being squashed into something, like I was walking in flippers.

“I remember my feet felt like blocks of ice when you’ve been out in the snow, but they were really warm when you touched them.”

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Mart was eventually booked In for an emergency MRI scan and the next day, was called with instructions to return to the hospital with an overnight bag.

Days after, in October 2020, having had blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy, the dad was diagnosed with myeloma.

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He had to wear a back brace for 14 weeks to 'stabilise' his spine while receiving treatment. (PA Real Life)
He had to wear a back brace for 14 weeks to 'stabilise' his spine while receiving treatment. (PA Real Life)

Myeloma is a type of blood cancer affecting bones and different parts of the body, and the man had ‘never heard of’ it. Myeloma UK says that despite it being one of the most common types, it is difficult to detect, as symptoms often get linked to ageing or minor conditions.

“I had a few tears… it was a lot to take in,” Mart recalled. “The consultant explained that it’s myeloma and there’s no cure for it, and you think of the worst thing, which is dying.

“I was on my own at that time (because of Covid-19 restrictions) and I kept thinking of the family, Kayleigh, my daughter.

“I just thought, ‘God, how am I going to tell them?’.”

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Mart had radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and a transplant (PA Real Life)
Mart had radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and a transplant (PA Real Life)

Having experienced several complications following a stem cell transplant in 2021, Mart has since reached remission. And while he is still at risk of infection and is undergoing maintenance chemotherapy, he added that he is ‘living his best life’ and is fronting Myeloma UK’s ‘Know the Warning Signs’ campaign to help the public spot the tell-tale symptoms of myeloma.

“I just live for today,” he said. “If somebody says, ‘You’ve probably got five years’, why can’t I be the one that doesn’t have five years?

“I’ve always said, ‘I’m going to live until I’m 100’.”

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.

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For more information or to contact Myeloma UK, visit myeloma.org.uk/signs or call its infoline on 0800 980 3332.

Featured Image Credit: PA Real Life

Topics: Cancer, Health, NHS

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

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@jessbattison_

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