Yahoo News Grimsby man, 35, still defying cancer life expectancy and inspiring people around the world
A man has now twice beaten the life expectancy given to him by doctors as he continues to fight one of the rarest cancers.
Dad-of-two Luke Goodwin, 35, from Grimsby took himself to hospital while suffering from agonising pain in July 2022. At first, he was told he probably had gallstones and was sent for a scan.
Three weeks later, he received the shattering news he had stage four Leiomyosarcoma which occurs in the smooth muscles and makes up just 0.17% of all cancers diagnosed every year. A tumour was found in his liver and there were additional tumours in his lungs.
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He was given a year to live and went through multiple rounds of chemotherapy, losing his hair. But Luke said he surprised the oncologist when he went on to defy the 12-month life expectancy and says the things that have helped most are having a sense of humour and using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
In October last year, Luke said he was told he had "months to live". But now, nearly two years on from his diagnosis, Luke says he has beaten the prognosis again.
He told Grimsby Live: "In October I was told I had 'months to live' regardless of whether I had chemo or not. I didn't think I'd see my daughter's birthday but I am surprising everyone, including the oncologist.
"I'm on a chemo break at the moment and it is still stable. Every time I get bad news - like the first time I was told - it's like someone has smacked me in the face.
"It was like time had frozen and I buried my head in the sand for a while." Luke has found it helpful to document his journey on YouTube with his I Will Not Be Defeated channel which now has nearly 2,000 subscribers from all over the world - people from South Africa, France, the USA, Germany and India will frequently send him well wishes.
Luke said: "I got a letter from someone and the first thing she said was 'if it wasn't for you I would be here'. Me doing YouTube helps other people and it helps me too."
He said many people don't think about the mental toll cancer takes - depression is very common. "I've got two young kids, three and five, and every time I get bad news it's like a kick in the teeth," he said.
Giving love to Luke on YouTube, one follower said: "Hello Luke from Washington state. Love it when you come on all fired up." Another said: "You really do inspire people keep going keep being you, saying it as it is, and f**k cancer."
