A Welsh father-of-six was diagnosed with an incurable cancerous brain tumour during lockdown, but medics are unable to tell him how long he has left amid coronavirus concerns.
Gareth Harris, 51, was diagnosed with an aggressive and fast-growing tumour last month.
But Gareth, from Carmarthenshire, said doctors have not been able to biopsy the tumour or give him chemotherapy amid the coronavirus pandemic, as it would ‘wipe out’ his immune system.
Medics have not been able to give Gareth a precise time on how long he has left, as they only know it is an aggressive and fast-growing tumour, WalesOnline reported.
Gareth Harris, 51, (pictured with his wife Jennifer) was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour during lockdown, but doctors have not been able to tell him how long he has left
He said: ‘Radiotherapy is the only thing I’ve been given and that will hopefully shrink it and give me more time.’
The mountain biker has continued adhering to Welsh Government coronavirus guidelines, meaning he has not seen his two eldest children – Luke, 28, and Molly, 25 – since he was given the devastating news.
But Gareth has been able to spend time with his wife, Jennifer, and their four other children Hannah, 17, Holly, 16, eight-year-old Ffion, and six-year-old Lili-Mai.
‘It’s been incredibly hard on [Luke and Molly], but I’m just glad that it’s me who has this and not one of them because I don’t think I could cope,’ he told Wales Online.
‘I’m just trying to stay positive and enjoy being with my wife and four of the children while I still can.’
Gareth, from Carmarthenshire, said doctors have not been able to biopsy the tumour or give him chemotherapy amid the coronavirus pandemic, as it would ‘wipe out’ his immune system
After being given the diagnosis last month, he was not able to tell his wife Jennifer (pictured) for hours, as he was in the hospital by himself due to coronavirus regulations
Gareth, a painter and decorator, first realised something was wrong when he lost sight in both eyes for a few seconds while driving home in March.
He didn’t think much of it until he started getting pins and needles in his left foot which would not go away.
Things only worsened when he volunteered as a driver to deliver prescriptions during lockdown but had trouble changing gear.
Gareth then decided to call a doctor and was referred for a CT and MRI scan.
But he made the decision to go to the emergency department at Glangwili Hospital before the appointment.
Gareth has been put in the ‘at-risk’ category and told to ‘shield’ himself, but he still wants to complete a bucket list, including doing a sky dive and a bungee jump
Less than two hours after arriving at A&E, he was undergoing brain scans and found himself on a medical assessment ward being told the shocking news – an aggressive and cancerous brain tumour had been located in his brain.
Gareth wasn’t able to tell his wife for hours, as he was in the hospital on his own due to coronavirus.
He said: ‘My youngest children don’t really understand. They just know Daddy is ill. The rest of the family are devastated, but I have to stay positive for them.’
His friend Duncan Porter set up a GoFundMe page last week to get Gareth an electric bike so he can continue mountain biking.
It has already raised £8,055 – double their £4,000 target.
Gareth has been put in the ‘at-risk’ category but he still wants to complete a bucket list, including doing a sky dive and a bungee jump.
Gareth’s friend Duncan Porter set up a GoFundMe page last week to get him an electric bike so he can continue mountain biking. It has already raised £8,055 – double their £4,000 target
This could prove difficult amid the coronavirus lockdown, as there is a five-mile limit on travel away from home in Wales’s lockdown easing measures.
But from Monday, outdoor gatherings will be permitted from Monday with people from two different households.
Dr Giri Shankar, Incident Director for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said:
‘We welcome the announcement Welsh Government made on Friday that people from two different households in the same local area will be able to meet up outdoors from Monday, provided they continue to maintain social distancing and strict hand hygiene.’
Wales have currently recorded a total of 13,995 positive cases of coronavirus, according to Public Health Wales figures.
Eleven more deaths have also been reported, taking the total death toll to 1,342.