Dad-of-two given paracetamol for ‘back pain’ dies of aggressive cancer
A SOLDIER dad-of-two who was given paracetamol for 'back pain' has died two months after being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.
Darren Mulqueen woke up in agony earlier this year and visited his GP.
The 35-year-old from London was told by the doctor that the pain was muscular, and was sent away.
He was advised to take some paracetamol for the discomfort.
He went back and forth with medics, but his condition didn't improve and after a holiday, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
It had been the first holiday he had taken since he had come back from the Army, and returned home to the devastating diagnosis.
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In July, he had been given just two months to live and his family have now announced that he has sadly died.
He passed away on September 28, surrounded by family, reported.
In a statement, his relatives said: "Darren was so loved by his family and friends. He will be sadly missed.
"We are so glad we did get to spend the last few months together laughing and joking even though he was going through pain.
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"The family would love to thank everyone who donated money through GoFundMe that had left us worry-free.
"Darren will get a nice send-off,"; they added.
There are around 9,600 deaths from pancreatic cancer every year and it's the tenth most common cancer in the country.
From his time of diagnosis in July, doctors said Darren's condition was terminal and that he had just two months to live.
His sister Michelle Vassell previously said that the whole family had been in shock.
She told : "You trust your GP and you think you have no reason to question their diagnosis; they’re the experts.
What are the signs of pancreatic cancer you need to know?
Pancreatic cancer is known as the silent killer because it's hard to diagnose early - it does not cause any signs or symptoms at the early stages.
That's why it's so important to be aware of the symptoms to look for as soon as they start.
The most common symptoms to look out for include:
- tummy pain
- back pain
- unexplained weight loss
- indigestion
- loss of appetite
- changes to bowel habits: This includes steatorrhoea (pale, smelly stools (poo) that may float), diarrhoea (loose watery stools) or constipation (problems opening your bowels)
- jaundice: The most common signs of jaundice are that your skin and white of your yellow. It also causes dark urine, pale stools and itchy skin
difficulty swallowing: Some people can find it difficult to swallow food, or might cough or choke when they eat, bring food back up or feel that food is stuck in their throat - recently diagnosed diabetes: The pancreas produces insulin, which helps to control the amount of sugar in the blood. Cancer can stop it from working properly, meaning it might not produce enough insulin and cause diabetes
- extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- feeling unusually full after food
- blood clots in a vein
"So we never thought it would be cancer.”
The family learnt that Darren had become so ill that chemotherapy was no longer an option.
In July Darren had a second scan, where he discovered the illness had spread to his liver.
Following the diagnosis, Darren had not been able to leave hospital.
The cancer had stopped his bowels working properly, meaning he was struggling to eat, and therefore lost a lot of weight.
The family have been trying to raise funds for Darren's funeral and so that his children will be left with some money.
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So far the family have of the £8.000 goal.
Michelle said during one of her last conversations with Darren, he urged people to get checked if they have pain anywhere that doesn't feel right.
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