A young Bermondsey father, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, is fundraising for a final adventure with his two-year-old daughter.
Jack Wells, 22, wants to take little Scarlett on a holiday to Florida before he loses his battle with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone disease.
He went to the doctor in March when his mother noticed a lump on his shoulder. He was sent to a specialist who diagnosed him and told him it was inoperable. He has since begun chemotherapy, but this will only temporarily slow down the cancer, which has already spread to his arm and pelvis.
“It’s something you don’t expect,” he told the News. “I had no idea. Once they told me I had cancer, I wanted to know how long I had left. The doctors just stared at me when I asked – I think most people don’t really want to think about that.”
He said that while he was hesitant to ask for money for himself, he wanted to give his daughter the best life possible while he was still with her.
He said: “She doesn’t understand what is happening, but while I’m still here I want to support her and make her happy. It would be amazing to take her to Florida for a dream holiday, to give her one last great memory.”
Jack has lost his hair – his ‘pride and joy’, according to mum Veronica Carter – since he began chemotherapy, and is struggling with the intense treatment.
“Chemo is just disgusting – it made me feel so sick. The nausea is horrible and I couldn’t do anything afterwards except lie on the sofa.
“It won’t go on forever, though, as at some point the cancer will become too strong and then the doctors say it’ll be about making me feel comfortable. I’ve taken the news on the chin, and at the moment I’m just thinking about Scarlett.”
Any money left from his fundraiser would go towards his little girl’s future and to University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre.
If you wish to contribute to Jack and Scarlett’s last adventure, please visit www.gofundme.com/jackse16 or attend the fundraiser at The Ancient Foresters pub in Southwark Park Road on Saturday May 16.
Hey Chin up 🙂
Please pop in to me with the kids for a fun Ice Cream and Sweetie day on me, my Dad died of cancer when I was 8 so would love to help make you’re time special with you’re kids. I’m Sugar Mountain on Dartmouth Road in Forest Hill Xxx