A daughter is appealing for help to give her dad "one last hug" after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Alan Collins, 75, was previously diagnosed with stomach cancer but thanks to major surgery and treatment, he was declared "cancer free". But days after finding out his daughter was pregnant with her second child, he was told his cancer had returned and he had just 12-months left to live.
In November 2021, after suffering with stomach pains, struggling to swallow and acid problems, Alan visiting his GP, assuming he was just unwell following his previous surgery. But he was soon told he had stage 4 liver cancer as well as lung and oesophagus cancer.
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Daughter Lisa Martin, who was born in Bootle, moved to Australia several years ago and now her aim is to get back to her dad, who now lives in Sheffield, to give him "one last hug". Despite being given just 12 months, Alan is now in month 14 and "still fighting".
Lisa told the ECHO: "He's still fighting but it's getting to the point now where it could be soon. My dad came out just over five years ago for my son's first birthday and six days after he got home he was diagnosed with cancer."
Lisa says her son has only met his grandfather once and her daughter not at all, so they want to travel back to the UK for one last reunion. But it has been an immense struggle.
Lisa added: "I was told at 17 I would never conceive and then I had my little miracle son. Before my daughter I miscarried and then I got pregnant and it was a risk flying back to the UK.
"In January last year I lost my job and struggled to find work and we weren't entitled to payments so we were living off my husband's 20 hour wage so we hadn't been able to save to get back. When I was pregnant I knew I couldn't fly that far because of the risk to the baby so I was coping with it.
"Being so far away is bad enough but knowing he's going through this and I can't get there. I may not see him again and my daughter may never meet him. I speak to him every day on the phone but the time frame makes it difficult and he's sleeping a lot more.
"He's not at the stage where he needs hospice support but my mum is doing everything for him even with a full-time job and it's hard. I want to be able to spend that last bit of time with him.
"It would mean the absolute world to see him again and be able to give him a hug and tell him everything will be okay and we will be okay. Even now, he's constantly worrying about me, my husband and kids."
Lisa's friend Natalie has launched a fundraising page in the hopes of helping the family get back to the UK. Lisa, 33, said: "I need to know I've done everything I can to get over.
"His only two wishes when I was born was that he walk me down the aisle and me to make him a grandad. Our daughter hasn't met him yet, I want him to have one last cuddle with the kids.
"Christmas Eve my friend suggested a GoFundMe, I'd never thought of doing that. She has lost her own dad and knows what it's like so anything we can do to get as much exposure to help.
"He's a fighter always has been any obstacle he's never been one to give up and he won't with this." Anyone wishing to donate to help Lisa return to the UK can do so here.
The fundraising page reads: "Hi my name is Natalie I'm fundraising for a very close friend of mine named Lisa. Lisa lives in a rural part of Australia, unfortunately November 2021 Lisa's father was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer but also has lung and oesophagus cancer he got diagnosed when Lisa was 8 weeks pregnant.
"He was told mid December it was terminal when Lisa was just 13 weeks pregnant. Lisa's father has been unable to meet his granddaughter and Lisa is afraid she won't get to see her dad again in time. We know he's a fighter he's 13 months into a 12 months diagnosis with the power of Facebook family & friends please let this be possible and make this happen."
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