A cancer patient, who was given just six months to live in January, is celebrating being cancer free and getting ready to return to work thanks to life-saving keyhole surgery at The Christie.
Husband and father of three, Brian Young, from Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool, was first diagnosed with cancer when a tumour was found on his bowel during a checkup at his local hospital. Doctors gave him the devastating news that as an ex-smoker he was too high risk to operate on and gave him just six to 12 months to live.
Brian, 72 and his family were distraught with the prognosis and he went to his GP keen for a referral. He said: “My brother was treated and cured of prostate cancer at The Christie 12 years ago. He told me to get to The Christie no matter what.”
When Brian’s GP referred him to The Christie, doctors discovered a tumour on his bladder as well as on his bowel. Brian’s consultant advised that removing the tumours would be his best chance of survival and that he could do both operations at the same time with key-hole surgery.
Brian continued: “The Christie was my last hope. I’d been told I could be dead in under a year if I didn’t have the operation. As an ex-smoker my breathing was high risk but because they are specialist surgeons at The Christie, they were able to perform the operation without any problems.
Husband and father of three, Brian Young, from Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool, was first diagnosed with cancer when a tumour was found on his bowel during a checkup at his local hospital. Doctors gave him the devastating news that as an ex-smoker he was too high risk to operate on and gave him just six to 12 months to live.
Brian, 72 and his family were distraught with the prognosis and he went to his GP keen for a referral. He said: “My brother was treated and cured of prostate cancer at The Christie 12 years ago. He told me to get to The Christie no matter what.”
When Brian’s GP referred him to The Christie, doctors discovered a tumour on his bladder as well as on his bowel. Brian’s consultant advised that removing the tumours would be his best chance of survival and that he could do both operations at the same time with key-hole surgery.
Brian continued: “The Christie was my last hope. I’d been told I could be dead in under a year if I didn’t have the operation. As an ex-smoker my breathing was high risk but because they are specialist surgeons at The Christie, they were able to perform the operation without any problems.
My life expectancy was so short that my choices were limited, I took the biggest chance of my life and I’m so glad I did.
Brian’s consultant, Mr Omer Aziz, consultant colorectal and laparoscopic surgeon, said: “At The Christie, we work very much as a team. In Brian’s case we took the decision to operate on him with keyhole surgery and remove both his tumours at the same time. Everyone from the consultant surgeons, anaesthetists, radiologists and oncologists to our clinical nurse specialists and inpatient nursing team were involved in this process. Brian was able to put his faith in us and I am delighted for him.”
Brian is planning to return to work at his brother’s hotel in Blackpool over the coming months where he is a bartender.
