- A
- J
We are the Suliman girls and our father has recently been diagnosed with an advanced stage of small cell cancer. Many of you will know Abdul Suliman as a - literally! - long standing local hairdresser, who has been a presence in Aberdeen for over 40 years now. Those who are close to him have touched us with their love and affection for 'Scissors Suliman' and his shop has become an institution where clients, who are now friends, come for chats, advice, therapy, laughs, and sometimes tears, as well as a damn good haircut!
We of course know him as 'Daddy' and we want to help our father in every way possible as he has helped us and so many others.
Abdul Suliman has recently been diagnosed with an advanced stage small cell cancer and there are limitations as to what treatment options are available to him at present.
Background
Our father was diagnosed and treated for sciatica in October 2016. In early December 2016 he was experiencing severe back and leg pain and was admitted to A&E. After the initial X-ray, we were told that they he had abnormalities in his spine. After further investigation, we were told the devastating news that he had small cell cancer that had spread.
Words cannot express the heartache we all felt when the doctors told us that this could not be operated on and the limitations in terms of future treatment. We cannot put into words the feeling each one of us felt on hearing this devastating news...we will forever remember what we were doing at that moment.
We have hope!
Of course we are not ready to accept this prognosis without a fight!
Our father is a non-drinker, ate clean, and was fit as a fiddle up to 5 weeks ago -and had worked 6 days a week all of his life.
Through medical research including correspondence with oncologists in the UK and internationally, we have come across studies in small cell cancer which have revealed positive results when given to candiate patients that share the same prognosis as our father. This includes a specific treatment which is in the second trial phase but is not currently offered as a trial in the UK.
We need your help
Treatments overseas, however, have funding implications but we will do everything possible to raise the funds within the family and with your help. We are looking to raise at least £100,000 (hopefully £200,000) to give our father the best possible chance. Our father has begun treatment in the UK but with your help our goal is to get him fit enough and to get the best treatment plan in place whether that in the UK or overseas. Unfortunately time is not on our side so we need to act quickly.
Our father has helped so many people and has been a friend and confidant to so many others. We desperately need him to be here so that he can continue to share the love and laughter with all of those he is close to. He has said how he dreams to walk all of his girls down the aisle and meet ‘all’ of his grandchildren to come.
The compassionate messages and prayers that we have received from family, clients/friends and colleagues have been of great comfort to him…..he is truly a loved man.
We would be so grateful for your support, prayers and generosity. We cannot do this without your help, which is why we are asking for you to share our page, spread the word and please donate whatever you can to help us help this wonderful man.
Early detection
As mentioned earlier, this disease was diagnosed as sciatica, which of course was not the case.
As small cell cancer spreads so rapidly, symptoms may not apear until the disease has spread to other organs;
In our fathers case his main symptom was back and leg pain due to the spread of the disease to the spine.
The fact that this cancer type grows so rapidly shows the importance of early detection.
These symptoms may include:
-A cough that does not go away or gets worse
-Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
-Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
-Hoarseness
-Weight loss and loss of appetite
-Shortness of breath
-Feeling tired or weak
-Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back
-New onset of wheezing
When lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it may cause:
-Bone pain (like pain in the back or hips)
-Nervous system changes (such as headache, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, dizziness, balance problems, or seizures), from cancer spread to the brain
-Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), from cancer spread to the liver
-Lumps near the surface of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes (collection of immune system cells) such as those in the neck or above the collarbone
There are other symptoms, some of which our father displayed, that are also worth getting checked out, such as:
-Swallowing difficulties-Some people with lung cancer can have difficulty in swallowing. This is called dysphagia.
-Bone pain (like pain in the back, legs or hips)
-Acid Reflux
-High Calcium - which can cause constipation, dehydration, confusion, drowsiness.
-Low sodium- concetrated urine, muscle weakness and lethargy.
This list is not exhastive and more information can be found at the following websites:
http://documents.roycastle.org
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/lung-cancer
http://clanhouse.org/
Awareness
As well as fundraising we also hope to raise awareness for the early detection of this type of cancer and we aim to get more involved with all of the associated charities.
Knowledge bank
We would be most grateful if you could share any further information regarding advanced small cell cancer treatments and trials or can offer any information on synergistic cancer treatments.
Support
If anyone would like to share their stories with us please get in touch as our aim will be to set up a forum in the near future for patients and families.
We of course know him as 'Daddy' and we want to help our father in every way possible as he has helped us and so many others.
Abdul Suliman has recently been diagnosed with an advanced stage small cell cancer and there are limitations as to what treatment options are available to him at present.
Background
Our father was diagnosed and treated for sciatica in October 2016. In early December 2016 he was experiencing severe back and leg pain and was admitted to A&E. After the initial X-ray, we were told that they he had abnormalities in his spine. After further investigation, we were told the devastating news that he had small cell cancer that had spread.
Words cannot express the heartache we all felt when the doctors told us that this could not be operated on and the limitations in terms of future treatment. We cannot put into words the feeling each one of us felt on hearing this devastating news...we will forever remember what we were doing at that moment.
We have hope!
Of course we are not ready to accept this prognosis without a fight!
Our father is a non-drinker, ate clean, and was fit as a fiddle up to 5 weeks ago -and had worked 6 days a week all of his life.
Through medical research including correspondence with oncologists in the UK and internationally, we have come across studies in small cell cancer which have revealed positive results when given to candiate patients that share the same prognosis as our father. This includes a specific treatment which is in the second trial phase but is not currently offered as a trial in the UK.
We need your help
Treatments overseas, however, have funding implications but we will do everything possible to raise the funds within the family and with your help. We are looking to raise at least £100,000 (hopefully £200,000) to give our father the best possible chance. Our father has begun treatment in the UK but with your help our goal is to get him fit enough and to get the best treatment plan in place whether that in the UK or overseas. Unfortunately time is not on our side so we need to act quickly.
Our father has helped so many people and has been a friend and confidant to so many others. We desperately need him to be here so that he can continue to share the love and laughter with all of those he is close to. He has said how he dreams to walk all of his girls down the aisle and meet ‘all’ of his grandchildren to come.
The compassionate messages and prayers that we have received from family, clients/friends and colleagues have been of great comfort to him…..he is truly a loved man.
We would be so grateful for your support, prayers and generosity. We cannot do this without your help, which is why we are asking for you to share our page, spread the word and please donate whatever you can to help us help this wonderful man.
Early detection
As mentioned earlier, this disease was diagnosed as sciatica, which of course was not the case.
As small cell cancer spreads so rapidly, symptoms may not apear until the disease has spread to other organs;
In our fathers case his main symptom was back and leg pain due to the spread of the disease to the spine.
The fact that this cancer type grows so rapidly shows the importance of early detection.
These symptoms may include:
-A cough that does not go away or gets worse
-Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)
-Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
-Hoarseness
-Weight loss and loss of appetite
-Shortness of breath
-Feeling tired or weak
-Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back
-New onset of wheezing
When lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it may cause:
-Bone pain (like pain in the back or hips)
-Nervous system changes (such as headache, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, dizziness, balance problems, or seizures), from cancer spread to the brain
-Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), from cancer spread to the liver
-Lumps near the surface of the body, due to cancer spreading to the skin or to lymph nodes (collection of immune system cells) such as those in the neck or above the collarbone
There are other symptoms, some of which our father displayed, that are also worth getting checked out, such as:
-Swallowing difficulties-Some people with lung cancer can have difficulty in swallowing. This is called dysphagia.
-Bone pain (like pain in the back, legs or hips)
-Acid Reflux
-High Calcium - which can cause constipation, dehydration, confusion, drowsiness.
-Low sodium- concetrated urine, muscle weakness and lethargy.
This list is not exhastive and more information can be found at the following websites:
http://documents.roycastle.org
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/lung-cancer
http://clanhouse.org/
Awareness
As well as fundraising we also hope to raise awareness for the early detection of this type of cancer and we aim to get more involved with all of the associated charities.
Knowledge bank
We would be most grateful if you could share any further information regarding advanced small cell cancer treatments and trials or can offer any information on synergistic cancer treatments.
Support
If anyone would like to share their stories with us please get in touch as our aim will be to set up a forum in the near future for patients and families.
Organizer
Suliman Family
Organizer