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Fireman cheats death only to discover he has cancer
A fireman told today how he cheated death in a paragliding accident only for a scan to reveal he has terminal cancer.
Steve Phillips is now under going a clinical trial at Southampton General Hospital for the illness.
He was about to become a father when his paraglider collapsed and he fell 40ft at the White Horse in Osmington, Dorset, on July 31 last year.
He landed on his back as his heavily pregnant partner Becky Taylor watched in horror.
"If I had fallen in any other way than flat on my back I would have broken something or could have been in a wheelchair by now or worse," said Mr Phillips.
The 42-year-old watch manager at Weymouth Fire Station in Dorset went to hospital for X-rays which came back clear.
"In the X-rays there must have been something they didn't like, some sort of shadow," said Mr Phillips.
A scan spotted a tumour in his stomach and doctors broke the news that he had terminal lymphatic cancer throughout his body.
Doctors have told him there is no cure and that he has between five and eight years to live.
He is undergoing a two-year clinical trial at Southampton General Hospital, using antibodies to shrink the tumours.
The tumours will grow back and he will eventually need chemotherapy.
His daughter Isabella was born four days after the accident and Mr Phillips, from Broadwey in Weymouth, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma within two weeks.
"It is absolutely horrendous," he said. "You initially think that's it, I have been given a death sentence, I am going to die."
He took part in a free Macmillan Cancer Care six-week course, Living with Cancer, to help him cope.
"At the moment I am not showing any typical symptoms of the disease.
"I'm fit. I still go running, do weights and work. I needed to go back to work, I needed the camaraderie of the guys on the watch.
"The biggest difficulty is psychological. I have always wanted children. I got divorced two years ago and that was one of the issues.
"I met Becky quite soon afterwards and had a baby and that's what I live for. To think I won't see her on her 18th or 21st is really a mind blowing thing."
Mr Phillips plans to train in Bath so that he can tutor a Macmillan Cancer Care course to help others cope with a terminal illness starting in Dorchester next month.
3:44pm Friday 28th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: carol on 4:24pm Fri 28 Mar 08
so sad , will be thinking of you, good luck in the future, hope all goes well
so sad , will be thinking of you, good luck in the future, hope all goes well
Posted by: edna, eastleigh on 6:01pm Fri 28 Mar 08
so so sad, life is so cruel at times
so so sad, life is so cruel at times
Posted by: Denzil, Chilworth on 6:17pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]maureen[/bold] wrote:
Let's hope that paul b never needs a fireman!! What a sad story... good luck to the family.[/quote] The story isn't really about a fireman - it's about an ordinary joe who had an accident which nearly killed him who then finds out he has an incurable illness. For fireman read just about anyone else.
A sad story nonetheless.
maureen wrote:
Let's hope that paul b never needs a fireman!! What a sad story... good luck to the family.
The story isn't really about a fireman - it's about an ordinary joe who had an accident which nearly killed him who then finds out he has an incurable illness. For fireman read just about anyone else.
A sad story nonetheless.
Posted by: JB Soton, Gosport on 6:55pm Fri 28 Mar 08
How very sad,I would also like to wish you well for the future.
How very sad,I would also like to wish you well for the future.
Posted by: Christoff on 6:58pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote]I'm fit. I still go running, do weights and work. I needed to go back to work, I needed the camaraderie of the guys on the watch.[/quote]
Fair play to you. If you keep that up you stand a good chance of surviving a long time.
If you give up and surrender yourself the disease will get you quickly. You will be an inspiration to a lot of sufferers.
Best of luck.
I'm fit. I still go running, do weights and work. I needed to go back to work, I needed the camaraderie of the guys on the watch.
Fair play to you. If you keep that up you stand a good chance of surviving a long time.
If you give up and surrender yourself the disease will get you quickly. You will be an inspiration to a lot of sufferers.
Best of luck.
Posted by: Christoff on 7:00pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Christoff[/bold] wrote:
[quote]I'm fit. I still go running, do weights and work. I needed to go back to work, I needed the camaraderie of the guys on the watch.[/quote] Fair play to you. If you keep that up you stand a good chance of surviving a long time. If you give up and surrender yourself the disease will get you quickly. You will be an inspiration to a lot of sufferers. Best of luck.[/quote] As an ad on to this, I know it is a different illness but look at Stephen Hawking. He was told he would be dead years ago and went on to be one the greatest minds of our time.
Christoff wrote:
I'm fit. I still go running, do weights and work. I needed to go back to work, I needed the camaraderie of the guys on the watch.
Fair play to you. If you keep that up you stand a good chance of surviving a long time. If you give up and surrender yourself the disease will get you quickly. You will be an inspiration to a lot of sufferers. Best of luck.
As an ad on to this, I know it is a different illness but look at Stephen Hawking. He was told he would be dead years ago and went on to be one the greatest minds of our time.
Posted by: i know best, dorset on 12:04am Sat 29 Mar 08
The bad comment was prob not posted by paul b but some sad coward pretending to be him.
That has to be the most coward thing you can do in your life shame on you coward.
And to the weymouth fireman keep going and stay strong buddy its not over to the fat lady sings.
The bad comment was prob not posted by paul b but some sad coward pretending to be him.
That has to be the most coward thing you can do in your life shame on you coward.
And to the weymouth fireman keep going and stay strong buddy its not over to the fat lady sings.
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