Father who fast-tracked his wedding makes cancer vow

A Scottish father who brought his wedding forward by a year after he was diagnosed with a rare cancer is backing a new fundraising campaign.

Craig Speirs has been chosen to help launch World Cancer Day 2018 in Scotland. Picture: PA

Craig Speirs, 37, has teamed up with wife Angela and children Rhianne, eight, and Adam, one, to urge people to wear a unity band on World Cancer Day on 4 February.

The bands, available for a suggested donation of £2, feature a classic reef knot design to symbolise the strength of people coming together to unite against the disease.

Mr Speirs, from Elderslie in Renfrewshire, urged people to buy the unity bands.

He said: “I’ll keep on fighting and I’m determined to do everything I can to help other people suffering from his horrible disease.

“I have so much to live for. I want to see my son start school and walk my daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.

“I’d like to dance with my wife on our silver wedding anniversary and read stories to my grandchildren.

“There is life after cancer today thanks to research and thanks to scientists developing better treatments for the disease.

“Just by wearing a unity band, everyone can help make a real difference to people with cancer.”

After a career as a Royal engineer in the army, Mr Speirs was working as a security company manager when he first developed symptoms, including abdominal pain, hot flushes and diarrhoea in 2010.

It was not until October 2013 after dozens of visits to his 
GP that tests at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley finally revealed tumours in his liver.

Mr Speirs and his fiancée had set a date to get married in the summer of 2015, but brought the wedding forward after his diagnosis. They were married at the Beardmore Hotel in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, on 15 February 2014.

Mr Speirs started a course of injections every four weeks in an effort to stop the cancer from growing.

He also endured surgery in June 2014 and again in September 2014 at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer centre in Glasgow to cut off some of the blood supply to the tumours.

Mr Speirs is now due to start peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, which will involve the radioactive substance being given to him through a drip in his arm every eight to 12 weeks.

He said: “In 2018, I’m hoping for love, friendships and to continue to be the best dad that I can be to my children.”