I’m dying of cancer but the worst part was having to tell my kids, ‘Daddy could die’
NO parent should have to tell their kids that they may not be alive to see them grow up.
But dad-of-three Trevor Wood has had no option.
He thought that he had a bladder infection until he started suffering from crippling migraines.
It turned out that he had glioblastoma - the most aggressive form of brain cancer.
Surgeons spent eight hours removing 90 per cent of the tumour but were forced to leave the rest, as it was wrapped around delicate blood vessels.
Despite vowing to beat it, Trevor, from Rayleigh, Essex, was told just days after the op that he had up to two years left to live.
Fragile and very weak, Trevor and wife Leanne, had to break the news to their three kids Dani (17), Keria (12) and Bobby (9) that: "There is a good chance that Daddy could die as he's very poorly right now."
Trevor first started feeling unwell back in October, but put off going to his GP for six weeks.
By mid-November, he started having daily headaches and eventually was diagnosed with a virus.
But as the migraines became increasingly "excruciating", medics booked him in for a CT scan.
While waiting for the results, Trevor's condition deteriorated and he began vomitting.
That's when he "just knew" that he a brain tumour.
After being rushed to A&E in Southend, medics found that he had a severe swelling in the brain and later, an MRI confirmed that he had glioblastoma and a cyst which had grown around it.
Fearing that removing the whole lot would cause him to have a stroke, surgeons left 10 per cent of the cancer behind.
And two days after his operation, Trevor was told that he had between one and two years left to live.
He said: "After the op, I was sure that we'd gotten rid of the cancer.
"My whole world came crashing down and I cried for two days straight.
"That one floored me. And worse was to come because Leanne and I then had to tell the kids and reassure them."
The dad then had a month of chemo and radiotherapy before taking a break and starting another six-month chemo cycle.
He's now halfway through the second round and he has to have MRI scans every six months.
Docs have warned his family that the tumour will come back, and surgeons have said that they won't be operating again "unless they absolutely have to".
The crushing news has devastated Trevor's family.
"It was absolutely heartbreaking to tell them," Trevor said.
"It's hard to describe the feeling of when your whole world falls apart.
"At that moment, you have to tell your kids that there's a good chance it'll kill me.
"There are no words to describe that sort of pain."
But Trevor isn't giving up.
He said that he had two choices - wait for his cancer to kill him, or "fight back".
"You get up and think - 'you know what, I'm going to beat this.'
"Something comes over you, bigger than you, that you know you have to life for.
"I'm a super competitive guy anyway, so I'm determined to be the first person to come out the other side of this tumour and beat it.
"This brain cancer picked the wrong head to fight with."
Symptoms of glioblastoma
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer.
It tends to be very difficult to treat and often there isn't a cure but treatment can slow its progression.
Symptoms can include:
- headache
- nausea or vomitting
- memory loss
- difficulty with balance
- bladder issues
- vision problems
Leanne, who has been with Trevor for over 18 years, said that she's in "absolute bits and I'm slowly falling apart".
"Most of the time, I find that Trevor's supporting me and the kids," she explained.
"To be honest, it's hell for us all. I don't know how he's keeping positive at all.
"Except for the massive scar on the top of his head, you wouldn't know that he's dying."
She said that Trevor is "everything" - "the best husband, the best dad my children could ever have".
"I can't imagine my life without him and I pray every day that he will beat this cancer.
"I'm still hoping we will grow old together, as we always say to each other always."
After months of life-extending treatment, Trevor is determined to make as many memories with his family as possible in the time he has left.
He's got a number of things that he's determined to do while he's well enough.
Back in March, the life-long Hammers fan went to the West Ham stadium with his whole family for the first time.
Last Sunday, he took part in the Southend Half Marathon, raising £1,800 for Macmillan Cancer Support and running 13.1 miles in 2.5 hours.
Trevor is now hoping to see the Northern Lights from Norway this winter and take his kids to Disney World in Florida.
Trevor said: "It's not about thinking the worst is behind you - we don't know for sure.
"What I think is that we had the really bad news, and then we picked ourselves up."
He wants to dedicate his time to making sure that none of them have any regrets in the future.
MORE ON CANCER
"We're not keeping our heads in the sand, pretending it's not happening.
"But it's about making sure we don't keep putting off the things we really want to do in life, and not regretting what we didn't do later and when it's too late.
"It's not a 'bucket list' because I don't want this to kill me - I'll die on my own terms."
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