Some people’s lives are changed after getting cancer once, now imagine enduring it four times.
This was the reality for Liverpool-born, Runcorn-bred Shaun Loughran, who has endured a “scary and anxious” two years.
But incredibly, Shaun has just finished completing the footballing game of keepy-uppies at his favourite locations across the country to raise more than £3,500 for Cancer Research cause, The Bobby Moore Fund.
The Liverpool ECHO spoke to Shaun to hear his story…
First contact
With anxiety sweeping across the nation amidst the looming COVID pandemic in 2020, something such as a cancer diagnosis would be a crushing blow to anyone.
On January 3 of that year, after a few months of reporting health problems to his doctors, a sigmoidoscopy scan at Glan Clwyd Hospital revealed that Shaun had cancer in his bowel and liver.
Being just 38-years-old at the time, this was devastating news to be delivered to an engaged father of two children aged two and six. Shaun described the pressure he felt: “I would spend hours teaching myself how to speak to them in a way that doesn’t worry them too much.
“My wife’s been brilliant, after my appointments I can’t speak to people straight away and she’s been doing my phone calls telling family and friends about the news.
“You’ve got to be careful you don’t go into a mad depression because of these things.”
Chemotherapy began just four days before the national lockdown. The Scouser took the treatment head-on and rang the bell 15 weeks later to give the go-ahead for surgery to remove the tumour.
Shaun was declared cancer-free for the entirety of 2021, but this was not the end.
An unwelcome return
Scans in March 2022 revealed the cancer in his liver had returned - with his wedding in Turkey to partner of 10 years, Jenni, right around the corner. Shaun said: “I wanted this wedding, the holiday and the break with my family and friends so badly!"
Through chemotherapy, willpower, and determination, he got his wedding in early August, which “couldn’t have gone more perfectly.”
The cancer was not going to let go so easily, though, as on the first day of his honeymoon, doctors told Shaun the growths had returned in his liver and his abdomen.
“I thought to myself things like am I going to have to help arrange my own funeral? I wondered who would turn up to it and so on,” he said.
At this point he was being looked after by teams in Liverpool, Wales and Manchester, all focusing on a different organ.
The amazing NHS
Shaun acknowledged the work the NHS has done for him so far: “How amazing are the NHS!”
He continued: “All the striking is completely justified, they need to get a pay rise, it’s ridiculous what the government are doing. Rafa Diaz at Aintree, Dr. Rehman and Dr. Akbar at Glyn Clwyd and their teams at every centre deserve the credit.”
During his next round of chemotherapy, painful headaches began to bother and hinder the Prestatyn-based Shaun five weeks in. Precautionary brain scans at Glan Clwyd unveiled a shocking discovery.
It was revealed a cancerous growth had appeared on the back of his brain.
Now admitted to Walton Neurology Centre, the anxiety piled on once again. The miracle of modern medicine, however, had a different plan.
Within two weeks of diagnosis, in the middle of October, Shaun’s brain tumour was removed by Dr. Farouq Olubajo and staff at the WNC, which he described as “another planet.”
“The care I received there is the best care I’ve ever received in my life. Dr Olubajo is one of the most amazing human beings I’ve ever met," said Shaun.
Kicking out cancer
Inspired by the amazing work done by doctors across the country to keep him alive, Shaun decided to give something back. Throughout the month of November this year he travelled across the north and parts of Wales to complete keepy-uppies at a variety of places, from his own back garden to the inside of the Anglican Cathedral.
The Bobby Moore Fund's Keepy-Uppy Challenge is named after England's 1966 World Cup winning captain. He was just 51 when he died. Shortly after his death in 1993, Bobby’s widow Stephanie Moore OBE set up the Bobby Moore Fund to raise money for pioneering bowel cancer research.
Shaun's starting target of £500 was surpassed in the first week. As of today, the funds raised exceed £3,500 and only keep rising. Shaun said he is “confident it will hit £4,000.”
The Evertonian’ s endeavours hit cloud-nine when he found out he would be doing keepy-uppies on the Goodison pitch with Everton legend, Graham Stuart.
Speaking to ITV Granada, Shaun said: “I’m absolutely blown away, I can’t believe it, I’ve been an Evertonian all my life, following in my dad’s footsteps, so to have a kick-about with Graham is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Shaun left with a shirt signed by Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
With supporters in America now learning of Shaun's cause he is leaving the fundraiser open in the name of doing all he can to support those who supported him.
“I’m going to do a brave the shave day for Macmillan with my mates at a bar somewhere, we’re going to throw in some money and do some fun things," he said.
Shaun had some final words of hope for people dealing with cancer across the globe: “I want people to know that there’s a lot more positivity in the world of cancer research than what is said on the news, everything is changing.
“Having a positive mindset will increase your chances massively.”
You can find Shaun’s fundraiser HERE.
If you or someone you know needs cancer support, you can find help on these websites:
