ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Young Father Given Just Weeks To Live Cuddles Son In Hospital

Young Father Given Just Weeks To Live Cuddles Son In Hospital

So sad.

Mark McGowan

Mark McGowan

A young dad who's been told he has months to live has refused to roll over and has been pictured cradling his son in hospital.

33-year-old Jon Strawson was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) but is now appealing for help so he can overcome the illness for the sake of his wife and three children.

Jon received his first bout of chemotherapy on 4 April at Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, after a number of procedures failed, including stem cell transplant.

Credit: Devon Live

His last option is intensive chemo, but he still willing to listen to advice after being told that his chances of recovery at this stage are very low.

"If you relapse from a stem cell transplant in the first six months your chances of survival are pretty poor. Doctors have never known anyone to be cured from the relapse I have," he told Devon Live from his hospital bed.

"I was told I could either go home and receive palliative care and I could be dead within weeks, or try the option of intensive chemotherapy to give me a second chance of remission. However, there's a 10 percent risk of dying because the chemotherapy is so intense and there's a 10 percent risk that my bone marrow will never recover.

"But being given weeks to live is not long enough. I owe it to my three children to prolong things for longer if nothing else. Hopefully I will go back into remission again."

Father to Freya, George and Henry (seven, six and four, respectively), Jon sees it as his duty to try everything he can to stay alive as long as possible.

Credit: Devon Live

"I have three young children so this prognosis is unacceptable. I am not ready to just roll over and die. I owe it to my children and my family to exhaust every avenue," he said.

"I've got a meeting with my consultant team to discuss possible further treatment depending on my bone marrow results. I have also been doing some research of my own and I have been looking into CAR-T cell therapy which uses your own immune system to fight it, but it's expensive and I don't know about its availability in this country."

The 33-year-old is currently waiting for his latest results to show how the cancer is reacting to the chemotherapy, but is still keen to hear of any advice people might have for him.

He said: "I've got a meeting with my consultant team to discuss possible further treatment depending on my bone marrow results. I have also been doing some research of my own and I have been looking into CAR-T cell therapy which uses your own immune system to fight it, but it's expensive and I don't know about its availability in this country."

If you have any information or advice that may help Jon, you can email him at [email protected].

Featured Image Credit: Devon Live

Topics: Dad, Devon, Cancer, Dad, Devon, Cancer