Shrewsbury cancer man's operation bid after cheating death twice
Wayne Perkins "died" twice as he battled skin cancer, before being told he only had 12 months to live.
But 16 years later Mr Perkins is still going strong and is now campaigning for a vital operation to become available on the NHS for all cancer patients.
Mr Perkins, 54, of Belle Vue, Shrewsbury, was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 1999 and although he amazed doctors with his recovery, he has been left with the incapacitating effects of lymphoedema.
The hospital volunteer has had to raise thousands of pounds for an operation so he can lead a normal life and believes all cancer survivors should be entitled to it free. He will have microsurgery next week.
He said: "I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in 1999 which started out as a mole on my back. Then this developed into a tumour and there were two lesions on my right lung.
"I was told by consultants at Birmingham to go away and enjoy my life, because I only had 12 months to live at the most.
"They couldn't treat the lesions with chemotherapy, but I refused to die."
During his treatment Mr Perkins's heart stopped twice, once on the operating table, and was even visited by a priest.
But he was left with lymphoedema, which is a build-up of fluid in the body, and is usually caused when the lymph nodes become damaged.
He said: "You cannot get a normal job with it and my right arm is 56 per cent bigger then my left arm. The fluid can weep out from the skin which causes infections, I could not move my arm for a week and I didn't sleep for five days.
"The infection can get so bad that people lose their limbs, it's awful that people are paying £13, 000 for this operation."
Microsurgery uses liposuction to suck fat out of tissue and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is investigating the procedure.
Its long-term effectivness is not known, but Mr Perkins hopes the operation will enable him to live a normal life.
He said: "I want to set up a charity called Lymphoedema for Shropshire and make sure everyone gets the help they need."
He has raised almost half of the money needed for his operationand is hoping more people will come forward. To donate visit www.justgiving.com/yimby/wayne62
