Man who thought he had hayfever has been told he has cancer and now only has months to live

A young man who thought he was suffering from hayfever has been given the devastating news that he in fact has terminal cancer.

Aaron Winstanley, 28, told doctors that he “felt something was blocking his face” and was concerned that he had the deadly disease.

However, they reassured him that he was simply suffering from hayfever and gave him a course of antibiotics and antihistamines.

Months later the wind turbine technician, from Hull, started going blind in one eye and began losing the hearing on the right side of his face.

The wind turbine technician, from Hull, is now fighting for his life in hospital.

He was soon diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma – a type of soft tissue sarcoma that grows in active muscles of the body – and has now been given months to live.

Aaron’s girlfriend Saraya Gallagher, 24, has been at his side throughout his battle for survival, that has included gruelling bouts of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

She told the Hull Daily Mail: ”In general he is doing well and he has that belief that he can fight this. As far as we are concerned people defy the odds so why can’t he?

“He always asks me ‘can you still believe in me? Can I beat this?’

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“There is no other way for us to be. It’s all 100% positive and trying to control it as much as we can.”

The pair first met after going to the same secondary school and started a relationship just before Saraya was due to head off to university more than five years ago.

Although the diagnosis came as a horrific shock to the couple, who own a house in Barton, Saraya has praised her boyfriend for keeping his spirits high.

She added: ”It’s unbelievable how he has been.

”No matter how awful he is, he is still always making the rest of us laugh and he has still got that personality and sense of humour even when he is in hospital.

“He can’t see how see how strong he is but everyone around him can. He is a very selfless person and he was grateful for everybody looking after him. He doesn’t know how amazing he is.”

To support Aaron during his fight, colleagues from company Siemens, organised a ‘Coast to Coast’ bike ride from Southport to Hornsea, where Aaron works offshore at Westermost Rough Windfarm.

The funds will help to pay for the couple’s mortgage, council tax and other costs while his treatment is ongoing, with some money also going to Dove House Hospice.

More than 30 cyclists from across the country completed the 210-mile challenge for their popular co-worker on Sunday, raising just under £10,000 so far.

Dave Carrington, who works with Aaron and took part in the cycling challenge, said: “It’s absolutely no age at all. It beguiles me how he’s managed to keep his demeanour because if it were me it would have sent me on a downward spiral.

“But he said that he didn’t want to be mollycoddled. He said ‘treat me as you have done’ so I continue to take the mickey out of him.

“He is always a good laugh and he is your typical, salt of the earth type of guy – I could throw anything at him and he loves the banter.”

Aaron has been offered a six-month course of maintenance chemotherapy which requires him to go to the hospital every week.

He will soon have to decide whether to take up the treatment, which may not have any effect, or to enjoy the rest of his life away from the hospital.

Saraya said of the decision: “We don’t really feel we are at the bucket list point but we are hoping that when he comes home in a few weeks’ time we will be able to have some fun.

“We really want to do something together. Maybe go on holiday somewhere in this country and do something that he wants to do.”

Top pic: SWNS