A BRAVE family who are facing a gut-wrenching battle against cancer have backed a new campaign to raise vital awareness.

Gareth Dixon has been given the heartbreaking news that he has a very rare, aggressive and incurable form of blood cancer called plasma cell leukaemia.

The much-loved dad is keen to make as many lasting memories with his family as he can following his diagnosis.

But the 39-year-old, originally from Haydock, is also hoping to help others by making the main symptoms of leukaemia more widely known.

This is through the release of a new advert this week by the Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK charities, with Henry, a talented Macaw parrot, trying to try to make symptoms memorable.

In March this year, Gareth attended Warrington Hospital due to feeling tired and lacking energy, along with pains in his ribs and hips.

A haematology consultant explained about the leukaemia he had, and the following week he started chemotherapy at Halton Hospital, scheduled every week for four months.

Once that is complete, Gareth will receive Clatterbridge care for a self-donor stem cell transplant after a course of very aggressive chemotherapy.

Gaz and Laura Dixon are backing the campaign to raise leukaemia awareness

Gaz and Laura Dixon are backing the campaign to raise leukaemia awareness

“As a family we are heartbroken. Gaz has been incredibly strong and brave, and I am very proud of him,” explained his wife Laura, aged 40.

“We just cannot get our heads around the diagnosis, and there is so much unknown about plasma cell leukaemia, especially in people of Gaz age.

“There are so many unknowns in Gaz’s case, which is one of the hardest parts about it, and he could go through all this treatment and still not get any remission.

“We hope to raise awareness of plasma cell leukaemia and do as Gaz did in not taking no for an answer.”

The family’s backing of the campaign comes as new research shows that less than one per cent of the population can identify the four main symptoms, namely fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections.

Leukaemia affects people of all ages, and 28 people receive a leukaemia diagnosis every day in the UK.

Overall, the survival rate for leukaemia stands at just above 50 per cent, making it one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with early diagnosis crucial to saving lives.

Fiona Hazell, chief executive of Leukaemia UK, said, “It is extremely worrying that less than one per cent of Brits are able to identify the most common symptoms of leukaemia, when 28 people are diagnosed each day in the UK.

 

“People underestimate their risk by thinking that leukaemia is a childhood disease, but in reality, both incidence and mortality rates rise sharply after the age of 55.

“Raising awareness in this age group is critical in order to treat it early and effectively, and ultimately to improve survival rates overall.”

The charities are calling on people to start ‘parroting on’ about leukaemia and its symptoms as part of the #SpotLeukaemia campaign.

If you are concerned about any symptoms of fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections, contact your GP and request a blood test and visit spotleukaemia.org.uk

Gareth and Laura are also fundraising to tick off bucket list items such as swimming with sharks and seeing the Northern Lights.

If you would like to donate, visit gofundme.com/f/live-a-little-make-some-memories