A man who suffered sudden stomach pains while on holiday with his partner has been told he has stage four bowel cancer.
Greg Hollinshed, 45, was in Adelaide with his partner Ally Storr last month when he began experiencing what he originally thought was indigestion.
Mr Hollinshed booked his appointment when they returned home to Whyalla and after a series of tests, his doctor recommended an ultrasound scan.
After being told there would be no appointments available for two weeks, Ms Storr tried to convince her partner to go to the hospital.
He finally agreed three days later, when a CT scan showed he had a perforated intestine and was given antibiotics to combat sepsis.
That evening, a surgeon confirmed the puncture had been caused by a tumor, and doctors had also discovered cancerous spots on his liver.
A follow-up CT scan showed there were also cancerous spots on Mr Hollinshed’s lungs and he was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.
Ms Storr’s mother, Marion, has since launched a GoFundMe to ease the financial burden, as “Greg is unlikely to be able to work again.”
Greg Hollinshed, 45, was on holiday in Adelaide with his partner Ally Storr when he began nursing stomach pains in June.
Mr Hollinshed was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer after returning home to Whyalla.
Mr Hollinshed will require chemotherapy every two weeks for the rest of his life from 7 August.
Ms Storr said she was still trying to come to terms with the ordeal.
“It was still very painful and there was a lot of information and big medical words thrown at us and it was very hard to think about anything other than that (I’m) about to lose myself,” she said. He told the advertiser.
“Our hearts sank, we both cried. When you hear that he is in the fourth stage and you know it is serious, you can’t help but think the worst, but with the help of chemotherapy, hopefully he will be alive for a long time.”
Each chemotherapy session lasts four hours and will be followed by two days of home-administered therapy.
Mr Hollinshed underwent marathon surgery to remove part of his large intestine on July 5.
The surgery was only supposed to take three hours, but after six, Ms Storr called the hospital only to be told her partner was still in the operating room.
‘Half an hour later I called again, crying, I had been waiting there alone the whole time. ‘It was the longest, shittiest day of my life,’ he said.
Doctors explained after the surgery that the operation had been much more complicated than expected because Mr Hollinshed’s tumour had also attached itself to part of his small bowel, which needed to be removed and then reconnected.
Mr Hollinshed has lost 12kg since being admitted to hospital.
Mr Hollinshed will begin chemotherapy on 7 August and will need to undergo treatment every two weeks for the rest of his life.
Ms Storr’s mother Marion launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family cope after Mr Hollinshed was “forced into retirement”.
Mr Hollinshed will have further scans every three months to see how he is responding to chemotherapy treatment.
Prior to his diagnosis, he had worked in the mines for 17 years.
Ms Storr said the idea of her partner being “forced into retirement” was “scary as hell financially”.
His partner remains optimistic despite his circumstances and added that he is enjoying spending time with his children, granddaughter and family.