My husband died just days after we got married leaving behind two young daughters – I’m devastated
A DAD succumbed to a rare form of cancer just six days after getting married.
Chris McGinnis, from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, left behind two young daughters and his wife Mel.
The couple tied the knot on May 4, shortly after Chris was diagnosed with with Metastasis Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of bile duct cancer.
He declined quickly following the wedding and sadly passed away on May 10.
The 35-year-old electrician visited the doctor in early February after suffering from tiredness, a loss of appetite and a dull ache in his lower back.
To his family’s shock, doctors found multiple tumours on his liver which were deemed inoperable.
Chris, dad to Onora, three, and Nuala, one, received a terminal diagnosis but initially tried chemotherapy in the hopes he could live for an additional year.
But he experienced crippling side effects from the treatment and limited benefits.
In the end, it was decided that Chris would stop receiving chemo and by March, doctors let the dad know he only had months left to live.
Now his loved ones want to encourage others to get regular health checks.
Natasha Walker, who has been a friend of Chris and Mel’s for around 12 years, said: “He was just the funniest, nicest guy, ever. He doted on Mel and the girls and everything was about providing for them and taking care of them.
“He worked so hard for them. This has come completely out of the blue. The family are devastated.
“Onora is coming up to four, she was a daddy’s girl through and through, and she’s finding it difficult. She keeps saying things that are breaking everyone’s hearts.”
FAMILY’S PAIN
After halting chemotherapy, Chris returned home to try to enjoy life with Mel, 29, and Onora and Nuala, but struggled with keeping active.
Natasha said: “Up until the day he got married, he had been on the sofa a lot.
“He pulled the energy, out of, I have no idea where, for that day. After that, it was a very quick decline.”
Natasha has now started a GoFundMe appeal in memory of Chris, so that his two young girls could have a trust fund in his name.
She said: “It would be nice for the girls to have something in his memory. It’s not just having the unexpected costs of the funeral.
“It’s really to raise as much as possible to leave the girls a trust fund in their daddy’s name because that’s all he would have wanted, he would have wanted them to have been taken care of for the future, and to have that time to grieve.
“We want there to be something there for the girls in the future.”
Natasha said the friendship group had been left ‘helpless’ by Chris’s loss and focusing on raising funds for Onora and Nuala had been a welcome distraction.
Chris’ loved ones also want to encourage others to get regular health check-ups.
While they say it is difficult to know whether he would still be here if the cancer had been caught sooner, his family and friends are now encouraging others to not ignore any symptoms.
Natasha said: “Don’t ignore the smallest thing [health problems] just make sure you got to get checked out and appreciate the time you have with family and friends because in a couple of months, it’s completely changed a family’s life.
“If you’re feeling unwell in any way, go get checked out. Chris was healthy and was really young and in a matter of months, he’s not here.”
The Chris McGinnis Memorial Fund has raised more than £7,000 since it was created on May 14.
What is Metastasis Cholangiocarcinoma?
Metastasis Cholangiocarcinoma is also known as advanced bile duct cancer - it means the cancer has spread outside the bile ducts into lymph nodes, organs near the bile duct or another part of the body.
According to Cancer Research UK, for most people the cancer will be at an advanced stage before they get a diagnosis bile duct cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms early on.
When it does, these can be vague and difficult to spot.
These can include:
- yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and whites of your eyes
- weight loss
- pain in the stomach area
- changes to the colour of your poo and wee
- itching of the skin
- feeling generally unwell
Many other conditions can cause these symptoms – it doesn’t mean you have bile duct cancer if you experience them.
The NHS recommends you get advice from 111 if:
- your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow
- you’re being sick for more than 2 days
- you have symptoms that you are worried about, but are not sure where to get help