A man has been left with ‘weeks to live’ after his symptom was dismissed by doctors.
Kev Coles was suffering for months with stomach pain as he suspected he was suffering from gallstones or constipation.
However, the 46-year-old was left completely shocked when he eventually received a cancer diagnosis.
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The Stoke-on-Trent man’s wife, Kayleigh, encouraged him to first visit the doctors last July, where she claims he was sent away.
But Kev’s pain only worsened, and the dad-of-seven visited the GP several more times, apparently only being prescribed laxatives and repeatedly sent home. And on the 22 August, things took a turn for the worst.
“He started to sweat like someone was tipping water over him and when he looked at me I noticed that he had gone completely yellow,” Kayleigh recalled. “Then he just vomited.”
The couple spent ‘weeks’ insisting he had an immediate scan which led to doctors finding a nine-centimetre tumour in his bowel. It was also revealed that the cancer had spread to his liver, causing his yellow skin.
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This came as a total shock to the couple after the ‘bowel cancer itself was symptomless’.
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Kev then started chemotherapy in October. However, after sadly having now suffered liver failure, he has been told he only has ‘weeks to a few months to live’ and is receiving end of life care at home.
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“It is so upsetting that he was sent away countless times with laxatives,” Kayleigh said.
She described life as a ‘whirlwind’ since his diagnosis, adding it’s ‘such a shame’ the cancer wasn’t found earlier.
“It should have been taken more seriously when he first came in with stomach pain. It was a silly mistake, and a deadly one,” she added.
“It is now incurable. There isn’t anything that can be done to save him. I am having to lose my best friend because people didn’t listen to him.”
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Kayleigh noted that they ‘only noticed’ the cancer once it spread to his liver, with him never having ‘blood in his stool like in the TV adverts’.
Since his diagnosis, Kev has lost 35kg has been struggling with his mobility.
“Life has been extremely hard. I am just making sure that I have as many seconds with him as I can,” his wife added.
A GoFundMe page has now been set up to help with the family’s expenses and to help Kev keep his independence.
“There needs to be more awareness. If you have a stomach-ache then get it checked out, and please don’t feel that you are being overbearing,” Kayleigh urged.
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A spokesperson for University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust said: “We would encourage Mr Coles to speak to our Patient Advice and Liaison Team to raise any concerns about care at UHNM so we can fully investigate.”
Jess Battison