A SOLDIER father-of-two who was given paracetamol for “back pain” has died two months after being diagnosed with aggressive cancer.
Darren Mulqueen woke up in agony earlier this year and visited his GP.
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The 35-year-old from London was told by the doctor the pain was muscular and was discharged.
She was advised to take paracetamol for the discomfort.
He went back and forth with doctors, but his condition did not improve and after a vacation he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
It was the first vacation he had taken since returning from the army and returning home with the devastating diagnosis.
In July, he had only two months left to live and his family has just announced that he has sadly passed away.
He died on September 28, surrounded by his family, MyLondon reported.
In a statement, his loved ones said: “Darren was so loved by his family and friends. He will be greatly missed.
“We are so happy that we were able to spend the past few months together laughing and joking even though he was in pain.
“The family would like to thank everyone who donated money through GoFundMe which left us worry free.
“Darren will get a good start,” they added.
There are approximately 9,600 deaths from pancreatic cancer each year and it is the tenth most common cancer in the country.
Since his diagnosis in July, doctors have said Darren’s condition is terminal and he has only two months left to live.
Her sister Michelle Vassell previously said the whole family was in shock.
She told MyLondon: “You trust your GP and think you have no reason to question their diagnosis; they are 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 doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms in the early stages.
This is why it is so important to be aware of the symptoms to look for as soon as they appear.
The most common symptoms to look out for include:
- stomach pain
- Back ache
- unexplained weight loss
- indigestion
- loss of appetite
- changes in bowel habits: this includes steatorrhea (pale, smelly stools (poo) that may float), diarrhea (loose, watery stools), or constipation (problems opening the bowels)
- Jaundice: The most common signs of jaundice are that your skin and the whites of your skin are yellow. It also causes dark urine, pale stools and itchy skin
difficulty swallowing: some people may have difficulty swallowing food, or may cough or choke when eating, bringing food back, or feeling food stuck in their throat - Newly diagnosed diabetes: The pancreas produces insulin, which helps control the amount of sugar in the blood. Cancer can prevent it from working properly, which means it could not produce enough insulin and cause diabetes
- extreme tiredness (tiredness)
- feeling abnormally full after eating
- blood clots in a vein
“So we never thought it would be cancer.”
The family learned that Darren had become so ill that chemotherapy was no longer an option.
In July, Darren underwent a second ultrasound, where he discovered that the disease had spread to his liver.
After the diagnosis, Darren had not been able to leave the hospital.
The cancer had prevented his intestines from working properly, which meant he had trouble eating and therefore lost a lot of weight.
The family tried to raise money for Darren’s funeral and for his children to end up with money.
The family have raised £7,105 of the £8,000 goal so far.
Michelle said in one of his last conversations with Darren, he urged people to get checked out if they’re feeling pain somewhere that’s not right for them.
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