A cancer patient has written a heartfelt note to the health staff who helped save his life – returning to trek up the mountain he planned to climb before his diagnosis.
It was just 12 months ago when Gavin Spaldin, from Hartlepool, had to cancel a trip to the Lake District to walk up Helvellyn after being told he had prostate cancer.
Gavin, from Hartlepool, 59, has thanked the teams at University Hospitals Tees for their “incredible support” over this time – helping him beat the illness.
A year on from his cancelled trip, Gavin returned to the famous mountain in Cumbria to finally climb all 950m of it.
Writing to the teams where he was treated at both the University Hospital of North Tees and The James Cook University Hospital, he told him you “quite literally saved my life”.
He wrote: “Today, I have completed my own personal challenge following a period of ill health and climbed Helvellyn – 12 months ago I had to this cancel this trip to climb my favourite mountain as I received the devastating diagnosis that I had prostate cancer.
“As a result of my treatment I developed complications related to my heart and endured the most difficult time of my life.
“Cancer takes you in to a prolonged all-consuming deep dark black hole of fear, anger and despair and on a journey you don’t want to travel.
“Fortunately, I am now in remission and being monitored, and on the road to as complete a recovery as possible.
“It’s common phrase and misconception that cancer of the prostate is the best cancer to get. I can assure you it is not and the illness and treatment are incredibly destructive to the mind and body. The experience is truly debilitating and long lasting.
“Cancer is the most cruel illness which attacks you physically, mentally and emotionally and when it triggers a secondary condition the fatigue and anxiety makes life become a nightmare.”
Wonderful people and incredible support
Thanking those who have supported him, he added: “Normally I’m a private person but I wanted to publish this post to highlight and thank the wonderful people and incredible support that I have received:
“Rachel, Lisa and Sharon at the Macmillan cancer information centre at North Tees and the superb HOPE cancer support programme they facilitate, which enabled me to come to terms with my experience; the staff at Alice House Hospice for all their support; the radiotherapy and cardiology departments at James Cook who have given me such effective and superb treatment and quite literally saved my life.
“In the nicest possible sense they became the wonderful friends I never wanted. Karen Hann (specialist heart nurse), Jo Forsyth (urology specialist nurse) and Rebecca McKenna (cancer co-ordinator) I will be forever indebted for your help and support.
“To my wonderful retired consultant friend David Bruce, the support and guidance you have given me was above and beyond the call of friendship.”
Gavin also thanked his loved ones for their “love, support and guidance”.