When doctors in Finland told Andy Langdon there wasn’t
anything they could do about his life-threatening cancer he knew that, at just
46-years-old, he was not willing to give up the fight.
So when friends told him of a Nottinghamshire surgeon who
could possibly help to save his life, the father-of-four knew he had to get in
touch
And after meeting with consultant surgeon Iain Cameron at
BMI Park Hospital, in Nottingham, he was convinced that is best hope was to
return to England and undergo a major operation.
“Experts in Finland had told me it wasn’t possible to
operate and said I had probably only two years to live – the goal seemed to be
treatment not cure. It took just one meeting with Iain to realise that I did
have a fighting chance and I was determined to take it.”
Andy, who grew up in Portsmouth, moved to Finland over 20
years ago when he married his Finnish wife Sari. The couple have four boys and
Andy says he has never had a reason to question the country’s health
facilities.
“They have experts in many fields and the health system as a
whole is very good but they just didn’t have anyone with the expertise to help
me… that’s where Iain came in.
“From our first meeting to me finally getting the all-clear
just months ago Iain has been unbelievable. His commitment, consideration and
sense of humour helped me through the darkest of times it’s down to him that I
here today,” said Andy.
In a
nine-hour operation at the private BMI hospital Mr Cameron removed an 18cm
tumour from Mr Langdon’s pancreas and also removed his spleen, which was stuck
to the tumour.
Afterwards
the consultant surgeon said: “That was the biggest pancreatic tumour I have
ever removed. I thought that some of the stomach would have to be removed as
well but we managed to peel the tumour away.
It was good
to be able to help Andy and is really special to see him make such a great recovery.”
Private hospital news : 20 November 2011
