Ian Milton, from Paisley, became unwell before Christmas last year, dismissing his symptoms as a severe cold or coronavirus.
Ian with his wife Stacey(Image: Cancer Research UK)
A Scots dad has told how he dismissed his persistent cough as Covid before being diagnosed with blood cancer.
Ian Milton, 35, became unwell before Christmas last year, dismissing his symptoms as a severe cold or coronavirus. But when antibiotics failed to make him feel better and after he suffered sudden weight loss, his wife, Stacey, persuaded him to return to the GP.
Several tests were taken and just weeks later, on March 30, Ian was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. He underwent 20 gruelling rounds of chemotherapy over a five-month period.
Ian in hospital(Image: Cancer Research UK)
Speaking of his diagnosis, Ian, from Paisley, said: “Stacey is amazing and was by my side through it all. She was right there with me the day I was told I had cancer and in the worrying weeks before I was diagnosed too.
“I was a busy dad and always on the go. I was working full time and I kept hoping my symptoms would just disappear. But it was Stacey who said, ‘this isn’t right. You need to go back to the GP.’
“When doctors discovered I had cancer, I ended up in hospital on a drip for ten days. They couldn’t believe I’d actually kept going for as long as I did. Right from the start I decided to remain positive and take on each challenge the disease threw at me. And I knew I had Stacey and a wonderful family behind me.”
Sharing the cancer news with his children, Keira, 16, and Ollie, 10, was tough.
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Ian, who works for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), said: “I am proud of both our children and how they coped with the news. It was just months before Keira sat her national five exams at school. I worried about what kind of stress news about cancer would put her under. I didn’t want to upset the kids.
“And I was used to being always out and about at work. Instead those first few days felt long in a hospital room.”
Ian lost his hair to the side effects of chemotherapy shortly after he began treatment. But with more time at home than usual, he was able to attend most of his son’s football games with St Convals in Linwood and drive his daughter Keira to dance classes.
Ian and Stacey with their children on their wedding day(Image: Cancer Research UK)
He had his final chemotherapy session in July this year. He continues to receive regular check ups but latest scans show no evidence of disease.
Ian said: “When I was first diagnosed I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be so I was determined to spend as much time with the children as I could.
“But after the second cycle of chemotherapy I was told the cancer was shrinking so I knew the treatment was working. And after round four it was a relief when I learnt that it was looking very good.
“The nurses understood that there were important things like my son’s tenth birthday party that I didn’t want to miss. I can’t fault the NHS. They’ve been brilliant.”
Now, to mark the end of his cancer treatment, Ian will be the guest of honour at Cancer Research UK’s Shine Night Walk in Edinburgh. It will be an emotional moment as he sounds the horn on the start line at The Mound on Saturday September 27 to send more than 1,000 Scots on the 10k.
(Image: Cancer Research UK)
Money raised will help scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancers – moving closer to a world where everyone can live longer, better lives.
Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Scotland, Lisa Adams, said: “Our scientists have helped to double cancer survival in the UK in the last 50 years.
“We’ve led the development of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, paved the way for targeted treatments and improved the way we use surgery to tackle cancer. But, with nearly 1 in 2 people set to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, we can’t stop there. So, we’re grateful to Ian for helping to raise vital awareness.
“Our vision is a world where everybody lives longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer and money raised through events like Shine Night Walk is critical to making this a reality. Whether people walk for loved ones, for future generations or with friends old and new, they’ll be helping to power more progress – September 27 is Edinburgh’s moment to shine.”