Inspirational young man from Gosport, Jack Beames, has sadly died following battle with Ewings Sarcoma
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Hide AdThe inspirational young man was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the bones and surrounding tissue, in 2015 when he was just 14 years old. It was discovered that he had a tumour in his back and he quickly began treatment. He started chemotherapy soon after being diagnosed and during this time, he flew out to America for three months where he also received proton beam therapy to tackle the tumour. After months of gruelling treatment and rounds of chemotherapy, Jack was given the all-clear in 2016 and he had five years in remission - but in 2021, he was told that he had two cancerous nodules on his lungs.
There was no break for Jack who was then told that he had a rare sinonasal cancer in 2022 which was extremely painful and resulted in more rounds of treatments and drugs. He finished his treatment in August 2023 and for a few months he was able to go back to work and he started getting his life back - but more bad news came for Jack and his family.
He began getting pain in his back again and after Christmas he was told that two of his vertebrae in his back had collapsed due to cancer being within them. The severity of the diagnosis meant that there was no appropriate treatment for Jack and he was given four weeks to live.
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Hide AdHelen said: ""He was home for Christmas and in January I said he looks a bit pale and they did some blood tests and it was conclusive - he was having weekly blood transfusions but they said that he would struggle to make it to his birthday which was four weeks but he made six weeks.
"He was really brave and never stopped fighting - he had to have a catheter and blood transfusions and he was on oxygen but he was always so polite to everyone.
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Hide Ad"So many people didn't realise what he went through. It was the midnight calls to nurses for pain relief and seeing him writhing around in pain, it was absolutely heartbreaking seeing him go through it."
Helen added: "He was here when he passed and he was an amazing friend to Jack.
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Hide AdHe wanted to come home, that was his wish so he managed to get home for his 22nd birthday.
"He was home for Christmas and in January I said he looks a bit pale and they did some blood tests and it was conclusive - he was having weekly blood transfusions but they said that he would struggle to make it to his birthday which was four weeks but he made six weeks.
"He was really brave and never stopped fighting - he had to have a catheter and blood transfusions and he was on oxygen but he was always so polite to everyone.
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Hide Ad"So many people didn't realise what he went through. It was the midnight calls to nurses for pain relief and seeing him writhing around in pain, it was absolutely heartbreaking seeing him go through it."
Jack was a popular young man who never failed to put a smile on people's faces and he continuously fought throughout the years. Helen added: "We are really really proud of him."
Jack's funeral will take place on March 20, at 10:45am at Portsmouth Crematorium - everyone that knew Jack is welcome to attend. Helen and Andrew are asking that if anyone would like to make a donation, that it goes to Sarcoma UK or Teenage Cancer Trust.
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