Unpaid carer from Glasgow shares experience of loneliness
She said: "Being a carer for someone living with dementia was very isolating.
"I gave up my career in financial services to be a full-time carer for my mum and moved into her house.
Alex (Image: Suppleid) "It's been a very lonely journey no matter who is around you physically and my husband and I feel very broken emotionally and physically."
Anne shared her story as Age Scotland revealed in its latest research that almost half of over-50s in the country feel lonely all or some of the time.
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The survey of 1,287 people also found that 41% of unpaid carers experience 'crippling loneliness'.
Alex, 71, from Motherwell, also shared his experience.
He said: "I've lived on my own since I came back to Scotland.
"I don't have any family or friends around now.
"The reality is that so many people fall away from your life as you get older.
"And before you know it, you're on your own."
Age Scotland believes that more investment is needed to tackle loneliness, as it could have severe health impacts on the nation.
Katherine Crawford, chief executive at Age Scotland, said: "Scotland is in the grip of an epidemic of loneliness with chronic levels of loneliness not going anywhere.
"It is heartbreaking to think that the equivalent of one older person on every street in Scotland feels lonely all or most of the time."
She added that loneliness can significantly impact health, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia, as well as causing mental health challenges.
Age Scotland's friendship line encourages those in the older community struggling with loneliness to call for free on 0800 12 44 222.
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10 hours ago
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The no-diet, no-exercise, get-slim-quick hack
Ever wondered why celebrities always look so toned? Why their legs are free of cellulite and their cheekbones chiselled? It could be because they're getting regular lymphatic drainage massages, the beauty hack taking over Hollywood. While lymphatic drainage has long been used for athletes nursing injuries as well as for those recovering from surgery, it can also be a helpful tool for achieving a firm body free of bloat. This treatment works to stimulate the lymphatic system, a network of vessels, tissues and organs under the skin that help your body to drain unnecessary fluids. These are mainly around your neck, groin and armpits. Regular lymphatic drainage massages can help to manage puffiness and decrease your body's inflammation overall. One of the first formalised lymphatic drainage techniques was the Vodder method, initially developed by Dr Emil Vodder and his wife, Estrid, in France in the 1930s as a solution for swollen lymph nodes. The style of lymphatic drainage most commonly used today combines a light touch with pulsing and sweeping movements that can sometimes feel insignificant but done correctly can have a big impact. Other techniques apply deeper pressure, which can also help with getting rid of unwanted cellulite and loosening tight muscles. 'Using lymphatic drainage may have a temporary trimming effect because it helps move fluid through the body, like spreading a stack of papers from one end of the counter across the entire surface,' explains the website of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA. Whichever method you choose, most experts will agree that the more frequently you have these massages, the longer the effects will last. They can also bolster the health and strength of your lymphatic system if done regularly. When Gennari first arrived in the UK she noticed a gap in the market for beauty-focused lymphatic drainage massage, a practice that is popular in her native Italy. Over the course of 11 years the facialist developed her own method and last year opened her Notting Hill salon, The Skin Sculpter, where she offers full body lymphatic drainage massages as well as facials. Her skills are in high demand, particularly among celebrities including Anne Hathaway and Carey Mulligan before their red carpet outings. Gennari uses firm pressure and is best known for her buccal facial massage, which can be booked as part of a bespoke facial or facial massage. For this Gennari puts on rubber gloves and massages the cheeks and jaw from the inside out, creating a lifting effect. She recommends ten sessions, once a week, for best results. She also offers treatments that can help to activate your lymphatic system from home, including gauze wraps with serums, sculpting tools and top-notch beauty from £250, Ooi is an aesthetician, aromatherapist and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner operating out of Zen therapy rooms in Marylebone, London. Here, in addition to acupuncture and facials, the Meridian Circuit & Lymphatic Drainage treatment is offered. This combines gentle cupping along the spine and neck; soft brushing strokes around the tummy, and along knees and ankles where water retention can cause bloating; and gua sha stimulation of meridian points at the lower back, working in particular on warming the kidneys to activate unblocking. Ooi, who has a devoted celebrity clientele including Rooney Mara and Emma Mackey, has developed her own range of gua sha tools and oils that are used in the treatment, in particular the Circulation Elixir to promote circulation, digestion and drainage, which includes mugwort, hydacheim, cinnamon bark, wintergreen and clementine. These can be bought and used at home (the tools come with excellent step-by-step guides) between the six treatments that are recommended to reboot the system.£185 for 60min, Lymphatic drainage runs in Trévalinet's family. Her mother is also a lymphatic massage therapist and both were trained in the Brazilian Renata França method. This technique uses firm pressure, fast movements and pumping motions to help to stimulate the lymphatic system and is largely focused on toning and shaping. It isn't for the faint of heart — the pressure is hearty and Trévalinet is strong, but she is also deft, making the motions feel like a release rather than painful. This year Trévalinet and her mother, Emmanuelle, created their own method. The massage uses lymphatic drainage techniques alongside acupressure, helping to stimulate parts of the body that might also be hindering the successful functioning of the lymphatic system, and focuses on reducing inflammation. For best results Trévalinet recommends weekly sessions, for five weeks, and one session a month thereafter. She occasionally does house calls in west London and can also be found at the French Pharmacy in Marylebone, where you can stock up on cult beauty products from France as França massage from £150; Trevalinet method from £180. To book email or follow on Instagram @ Tucked away in Marylebone is one of London's newest optimisation hotspots. Rebase offers just about every hyped wellness trend — including hyperbaric oxygen chambers, red light therapy, infrared saunas, and cryo chambers. It is also home to one of the capital's most effective lymphatic drainage masseuses. Therapist Deodata Semionovaite, Rebase's lymphatic specialist, employs a relaxing but highly effective technique using pumping rhythms which feel hearty but not painful, as well as muscle tension release. The therapist is passionate about the mind-body connection and incorporates affirmations, so you will finish the hour long full body session by saying phrases like 'I am loved' and 'I let go of worry'. Semionovaite says these affirmations can, 'help calm the mind and create a sense of emotional and physical release' which she believes makes the massage more effective. This treatment is the perfect preamble to a trip to one of Rebase's many hot and cold therapy rooms, which also help rev up your body's lymphatic system. There is the ice bath and sauna room, which has eight ice baths and a sizeable traditional sauna, or for those hoping for a more private experience you can book in for one the private infrared sauna rooms, which fit up to three people. Each private room has two ice baths, a couch, and an infrared sauna fitted with a red light panel and bluetooth enabled speakers so you can listen to a podcast or your favourite song while you sweat it out. The red light panel will also do wonders for your sleep, mood, and inflammation. Rebase also offers guided breath-work classes conducted in tandem with ice baths in thelarger room, which teach you breathing tools for in and out of the cold water to make the most of your time (and increase your pain tolerance). Deo's Lymphatic Drainage Method at Rebase, 60min, £185. Private infrared and cold plunge suite, 45min, £150. Book at Whenever Amani got ill as a child, her Indian grandmother would use ayurvedic oils and massage to relieve her symptoms. Today she describes herself as 'a bit like a plumber, trying to get your body's drains unblocked' and is one of London's leading ayurvedic therapists, with salons in Pimlico and at Harrods in which she combines Indian and Brazilian methods to stimulate lymph flow. During a double-handed treatment, she and one of her practitioners work on their client from head to toe. First, warm oil is poured onto your belly 'to get the system moving'. Then while one of them vigorously rubs your body, pressing lymph points from the ears to behind the knees, the other pinches and presses and massages your face, using ayurvedic oils and warm flannels to stimulate, and finally a cold copper-ended 'wand' to sculpt the plumped cells. In addition to this whole body treatment, on the menu at Amani's salon you'll find options to book a manual Brazilian Bum Lift or ab sculpting. Amani also sells tools so you can continue to work on your lymphatic system from with Dimple Amani at Harrods from £370 (or £520 for Amani and another massage therapist), Tucked away in a discreet Georgian building behind Selfridges in London you will find Chelseé Lewis's treatment rooms. Her lymphatic facial promises to restore moisture to your skin and eliminate toxins. Using her own oil blend that contains vitamin A-rich cacay oil, Tunisian date seed as well as camomile and sandalwood, Lewis works on your face's contours and its glow. She has a gentle touch, but knows when to incorporate the firm pressure. The best part is you can purchase your own bottle of Lewis's oil to take home with you at the end of your visit to keep working on your cheekbones and from £180, A cult favourite, this machine-based lymphatic drainage and body contouring program gets results fast. It uses a device called the Icoone which 'mimics thousands of miniature massage actions, delivering 21,600 micro simulations per minute' using rollers that deliver a gentle suction which promotes circulation and combats water retention. This is coupled with Balancer Pro Technology which uses air compressions that go between compression and decompression which supports circulation and lymphatic drainage. There are different treatments and packages which target your face and body, and you can also opt for bookings that focus on individual areas of arrival at Ricari's cosy knightsbridge studio you will be provided with a neck-to-toe white leotard: this allows the machine to move more smoothly along your body and keeps it from tugging on your skin. Plus it's yours to keep for future appointments and can also be used if you feel like staging a ballet performance at home. For the appointment you are instructed to lie flat on a bed while the hand-held machine is moved over sections of your body by the practitioner. The effect is a very soothing massage feeling, and though certain areas can feel a bit tender it's not painful, rather more just like a deep pressure treatment. Appointments can last anywhere from 60-90 minutes. The effect is immediate — taught skin and diminished bloating. You might also find that the treatment helps support a sluggish digestive system. As in most lymphatic drainage treatments, the more frequently you go, the better the results. For optimal benefits, the studio recommends a course of 8-12 treatments over a period of 3-6 weeks, and then monthly appointments for maintenance. If you're prepping for an event, you can up this to two treatments per week for accelerated results. The good news is, Ricari has studios in New York, LA, London, St. Mortiz and the Cayman Islands, so you can keep up your routine going wherever you find yourself in the world. Signature body treatments from £245. Book at England, who operates at the NoMad hotel in London, is famous for her facial sculpting using flowing strokes for a neater jaw and sharper cheekbones. Lymphatic drainage has always been an important part of her approach, and now she has developed a new treatment focusing on this. The 75-minute Byonik Flow treatment combines lymph brushing and massage with the Byonik pulse-triggered laser, microcurrent and cryo-carboxytherapy to sculpt the face, reduce puffiness, eliminate toxins and restore luminosity. Slimyonik lymphatic drainage 'trousers', which come up right over the tummy and help to activate the lymphatic system, are an optional add-on. England has recently begun selling Cecily Braden's lymphatic brushes and can give her clients instructions on how to use these at home to keep the lymphatic system working between Flow, £290, Morellato is a celebrated physiotherapist (she counts Ellie Goulding and Sara Sampaio among her celebrity clientele), but the Brazilian is an expert in post-op care too. According to Morellato, a lymphatic drainage massage can be especially beneficial post surgical treatments, during pregnancy and for those suffering from lymphoedema and lipoedema. 'The lymphatic system is the body's first line of defence,' she explains. 'It plays an important role in our immune system.' She has a clinic in Belgravia and a residency at Harvey Nichols in London, where she offers her hero lymphatic drainage treatment. This is a gentle full-body massage consisting of rhythmic strokes and compression that can be tailored to individual needs. For anyone seeking regular support with a health condition, Morellato has developed a holistic Recovery Expert programme consisting of multiple sessions strategically distributed between pre and post-surgery phases. In addition to home visits within London, appointments are available at her clinic in Belgravia and at Harvey Nichols. Classic lymphatic drainage treatment from £280, An expert in both lymphatic drainage and its more hardcore sibling manual body remodelling, Bagnara is one of the wellness gurus now setting up shop at the Claridge's Spa in London. Every Wednesday he offers 90-minute treatments that cover everything from lifestyle, exercise and diet tips alongside a hearty lymphatic drainage massage. While the massage is full body, the therapist makes every treatment bespoke, with a special focus on specific areas in need of extra help with drainage. The remodelling element works to tone and lift the body, as well as helping to combat cellulite and water from £350, Sana Kirse isn't a miracle worker but she is very enthusiastic and realistic about what can be achieved with body sculpting and lymphatic drainage (alongside good hydration, diet and exercise). She's been working with lymphatic drainage for more than 20 years, honing her skills as a body-contouring specialist with various devices to ensure the most effective toning result. Using a combination of devices that employ radio frequency and magnetic pulses, she massages and manipulates the body into shape. This kick-starts the lymphatic system to move toxins and excess water, leaving behind smoother, more toned skin (it can be used to budge stubborn cellulite too). The treatments are non-invasive and while they can be a little uncomfortable at times, it's not painful when the machines glide around your problem areas. Kirse recommends ten sessions for significant body-sculpting results, but one treatment is effective if you want to look your best for a special Freeze from £185, Marylebone clinic The Ardour opened in early 2024 with a focus on science-based treatments, underpinned by the founding team's medical background. The Ardour aims to take a 360 approach, thinking about aesthetics in the context of a wider conversation about wellness which might include looking at how possible hormone imbalances can affect your skin and body and finding ways to support your skin from outside in. They even offer life coaching and have bespoke treatment plans with names like 'Stress Management Solutions, Harmonizing Change During Menopause and Thriving Post Divorce'. Whatever stage of life you are at, the clinic's Glow & Sculpt treatment is a winner. It uses a PowerSculpt machine, which looks a bit like a paddle and is strapped onto your body, emitting electromagnetic energy to stimulate underlying muscles, which can help with lymphatic drainage and reduces water retention by boosting circulation. When used in the stomach area it's the equivalent of 20,000 crunches in one 30 minute session, but less painful — the sensation is a bit like a deep pressure massage. Meanwhile a Dermalux LED Mask will be doing its thing on your face. This emits red, blue and infrared lights and can be adjusted according to your requirements, whether that is helping to manage redness, acne, or just giving you a healthy glow. Settings can help tackle acne and skin texture, but it will also increase circulation in your face, and help to manage inflammation and wrinkles. Six to eight treatments are recommended over the course of 4 weeks for best and Sculpt, £350 per treatment. Book at Emily Lansley, one of Kylie Jenner's favourite beauty specialists, offers a two-part pamper in the form of her 'Signature Sculpt & Glow Facial' at the Linnean Hotel in Nine Elms. The 75-minute treatment involves a bespoke facial treatment, alongside the Slimyonik Air Bodystyler and LED light therapy. The Slimyonik is a pair of pressure trousers that stimulates and activates the lymphatic system. While these do their thing, Emily works on your face, cleansing and exfoliating, along with a blast of LED and using a range of products depending on skin type, although one of her favourites is 'Acqua Di Rose' rose water by Santa Maria Novella. The central element of the treatment is Emily's expert deep tissue facial and buccal massage, which involves releasing jaw tension and inflammation by massaging inside the mouth. Fans report a more sculpted visage and a reduction in general bloating. Monthly appointments are recommended for maintaining from £250. Book at or call the Linnean at 0203 971 0805 Vidavii is London's first 'longevity circuit'. Founded by the duo Michal Cohen-Sagi and Noam Sagi, it uses three biohacking machines over the course of 30 minutes. The first stop is called Breathe. Here you step into a box fitted with Far Infrared lights which can promote cell regeneration, as well as blue and green lights which Vidavii say have various benefits, including helping to boost melatonin and serotonin. The room is also pumped with ionised oxygen which the brand claim can enhance cellular function and boost immunity over the course of the 8-minute session. After this portion of the circuit is finished you're escorted to the room right next door for Freeze, a cryotherapy session, where pain relief and anti-inflammatory and endorphin boosting benefits can be found. This room is extremely cold (minus 85C to be exact), but the Vidavii experts are on hand to help, giving you gloves, a face mask and a hat as well as headphones. The headphones are connected to songs which last the length of the time in the chamber so you can dance it out to Coldplay's Sky Full of Stars for example, while actual snow falls on you. This is definitely a helpful and welcome distraction. As soon as you're done, the lymphatic drainage magic starts in Squeeze,where you lay inside a metal tube called the Flow System made by a company called Art of Cryo. Your head and shoulders sticking out, and a wheel of thick plastic is fitted around your waist to keep the air in one place so your body experiences a 'continuous alternating pressure wave treatment'. It feels as though there is air squeezing and tightening around you and then loosening over the course of the 8-minute session. The best part is the benefits of Vidavii are not hypothetical. Upon arrival, all first-timers will receive a scan with the studio's Scaneca machine. It takes a 360, 3D scan of your body which looks at everything from your BMI to your waist-hip ratio, lean muscle mass and basal metabolic rate. All of these elements help give you a much more holistic understanding of your body and help the team at Vidavii personalise your time and settings in the machines so you can make the most of your circuits. This also helps you to track your progress over time. According to the brand, after the first two to four weeks of visiting two-three times a week you will begin to see a shift in your mental wellbeing, after three-four weeks you see a body change thanks to the loss of excess water retention, and after six-eight weeks you will begin to see more toned muscle. After a few months, they often see their clients decrease body weight and increase muscle mass, all of which can be tracked via the numbers on the scan, as well as the digital avatar it makes of your body. While the studio says that clients who increase their exercise while doing the circuits tend to achieve faster results, they see body composition changes in clients who keep their routines the same and simply add in Vidavii to their weekly routine. For those with more than 30 minutes to spare you can also hop onto the studio's Hydrobed, which gives you a circulation boosting water jet massage (though don't worry you don't get wet as the jets come up from within the water bed) as your face sits under an LED light panel which helps with cell turn over as well as aiding circadian rhythm modulation. Full circuit begins at £95. Book at Lymphatic drainage is just one part of the heavenly 90 minutes you'll spend enjoying the Bamford Tonifying Treatment, and as you lay — rose quartz eye mask in place — being gently brushed — yes, brushed — from head to toe, an act which promises to stimulate circulation, but may also encourage a nap, you may wonder if it is possible to be more relaxed. Answer: not likely. It gets better, by way of a full body exfoliant and massage using scrub made with cast-off organic Daylesford coffee grinds; a warm shower — and then more massage with warm oil. This preps skin for the hard graft: cupping therapy. Silicone cups designed to shift fluid in the muscle are glided across the legs, arms and, if you are comfortable, abdomen, to drain toxins and tone. It's all executed with Bamford's signature brand of bliss and wrapped up with a mini facial. Heaven — ask for Deidra.£220 for 90min, Billing itself as 'London's premier wellness and longevity clinic', The HVN offers a new Body Contour Massage designed to target puffiness, poor circulation and water retention. Tucked just off a busy Knightsbridge street, the space lives up to its name (HVN stands for haven) — a calm, understated space where you're greeted with herbal tea and soft, ambient sounds. The treatment itself is an hour-long deeply focused massage that blends lymphatic drainage with firmer, sculpting strokes. The holistic therapist Catia draws on more than a decade of experience in five-star spas across Europe, combining eastern traditions like Shiatsu and Ayurveda with western methods. Her approach is tailored and intuitive, but also impressively firm. This isn't the feather-light lymphatic massage some might give. At times intense, it's not always relaxing in the traditional sense, but it's highly effective. Designed to improve skin firmness and elasticity, enhance lymphatic flow and relieve postural tension, the massage offers a non-invasive way to reshape the body and restore vitality. The combination of techniques — think dry-brushing, cupping and a firm massage among other things — helps stimulate circulation, encourages detoxification and leaves you visibly more sculpted. Limbs feel lighter, skin smoother, and you walk out straighter. A course of five weekly treatments are recommended with two visits per month following this for maintenance. Body Contour Massage, 60min, from £210, It's hard to miss the prominent location of Repose Space on Kensington High Street. It's turned into one of west London's favourite biohacking bars, complete with everything from saunas and cryotherapy to aerial yoga and nutrition workshops. It is also home to an extensive lymphatic drainage offering provided by one of the three lymphatic drainage experts on hand, as well as a variety of other massage techniques from cupping to myofascial release, which can also be incorporated into the massage. This also includes a lymphatic drainage facial with buccal release. This massage works to drain and de-puff your face by targeting the main lymph drainage points, and in the process also helps to sculpt and release muscles thanks to its firmer pressure. The buccal massage, during which the therapist, wearing rubber gloves, massages your jaw from the inside, helping to release the jaw, can give a more chiselled look as jaw tension subsides. You will notice a change from the first session, but for best results the studio recommends at least three weekly sessions in a row before transitioning to monthly upkeep. Buccal massage and face sculpting, 60min, £150. Book at Su-Man has been training in the craft of massage for years, honing her skills and developing the ultimate 'no-Botox' lift through her targeted massage. For those keen to not go down the needles route but who are still eager to look more sculpted and toned, her Digital Damage Resculpt Facial is ideal. Su-Man created it to combat the side-effects of staring at a screen for too long and the associated sagging which can come from bad posture. Su-Man is no-nonsense while still bringing a deep care and kindness to the treatment. The bespoke session starts with a facial steam and skin assessment during which she will do everything from exfoliation and electrical muscle stimulation to blemish extraction. The massage then uses deep pressure, moving between face, chest, shoulders and neck, stimulating the lymphatic system. A foot and calf massage are also included. The end result is defined cheekbones and a more sculpted jaw, which, if you take Su-Man's advice and visit every six weeks, you will be able to maintain, despite all the doom scrolling. Digital Damage Resculpt Facial, 70min, £350. Book at
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Man battling one of world's rarest tumours thought shoulder pain was due to gym
Alex Able was told last month that the NHS will no longer pursue active treatment for his condition. A young husband has been left facing the fight of his life after being diagnosed with one of the rarest and most aggressive cancers in the world — with doctors now saying there's nothing more they can do. Alex Able, a 30-year-old engineer from Kent, began suffering from a nagging pain in his shoulder last year — pain he put down to working out at the gym. But just months later, his world was turned upside down when a huge tumour was discovered near his spinal cord. After surgery, radiotherapy and chemo, the devoted husband and his wife Elle, 27, were left heartbroken when doctors revealed the devastating news — the cancer was back, and spreading fast. Now, his family has launched a desperate race against time to find treatment abroad after being told in July that Alex's condition is 'now uncontrollable' and that the NHS will no longer pursue active treatment, reports the Mirror. His mother-in-law, Katie Bleach, 44, who has been speaking on behalf of the couple, said: 'They essentially asked him where he'd like to die.' Alex and Elle, who married in 2021 and had dreams of starting a family and moving to the countryside, were left shattered by the diagnosis. He was told he had a Rhabdoid tumour — a cancer so rare it's usually only seen in infants. Experts believe Alex may be the first known adult case in the UK, with only around 11 recorded across Europe. Katie said: 'We've gone from planning a future to planning end-of-life care. But we will never give up on Alex — because he's not giving up on himself.' After enduring surgery, gruelling radiotherapy, and six months of chemotherapy — which left him with throat burns, weight loss, and exhaustion — Alex began to show signs of improvement. Tumours shrank and some disappeared altogether. But in April this year, everything changed. He began losing feeling in his legs, and an MRI revealed his cancer had spread again — including into his spine and brain. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. One morning, he woke up completely paralysed from the chest down. 'It was the worst day in the last 18 months,' Katie said. 'He looked at us and said he was done. He had nothing left.' Now, the family is fighting back once more. They've set up a GoFundMe to raise money for private treatment, after being put in contact with world-leading specialists in Germany and the UK. Professor Robin Jones of the Royal Marsden has now agreed to take on Alex's case privately. 'Alex is absolutely over the moon,' Katie said. 'We've gone from complete devastation to hope. He's determined to be the one success story — not just for himself, but to give hope to children who face this awful disease.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Man, 30, put shoulder pain down to gym aches, then doctors asked where he'd like to die
Alex Able was diagnosed with an extremely rare cancer at the age of 29 and was told his treatment was 'terminated'. Not giving up hope, his family is fighting for a new treatment plan At just 29-years-old, Alex Able had his whole life ahead of him and was even looking to start a family with his wife, Elle. But just two years after the pair said 'I do' in 2021, doctors gave him a heart-shattering diagnosis, which confirmed he had one of the rarest forms of cancer in the world. Alex, now 30 and an engineer who lives in Kent with Elle, 27, and their two cats, Socks and Sage, first experienced shoulder pain in September 2023, but as an avid gym goer, didn't think much of it. The pain persisted and kept him awake at night, so Alex pushed for an MRI scan, and in November 2023, the results came back clear. It comes after a doctor's warning to people who drink even a 'single cup of tea'. READ MORE: Young man sent away from A&E 'five times' before devastating MS diagnosis The initial results came as a sigh of relief, but by May 2024, the pain had only intensified. This led to another scan and devastatingly, a large tumour was found on his shoulder and near his spinal cord. Surgeons managed to remove 90% of the mass, but 10% remained as it was too high-risk to disturb given how close it was to Alex's spine. His tumour was sent off for testing and just two weeks later, he was given a shocking diagnosis. "Our world came crashing down around us all," Alex's mother-in-law, Katie Bleach, 44, from Kent, said, who has been speaking to the media on her daughter Elle's and Alex's behalf. Alex was diagnosed with a Rhabdoid tumour - an aggressive and rare form of cancer that typically affects young children. This type or the disease is so rare that Katie said there are thought to be around 11 confirmed cases in Europe, with Alex believed to be the first case in the UK. "They [doctors] explained that Rhabdoid tumours behave like spider webs, fine strands that cling to whatever they can grab. Alex's was dangerously close to his spinal cord, attached to muscles and nerves controlling his arm movement," the distraught parent explained. Four weeks after his initial surgery, the tumour had grown back to its original size. He underwent intense radiotherapy, every day for six weeks, in an attempt to shrink the mass. "The radiotherapy caused burns and inflammation to his throat, and he struggled to eat or drink. He was losing weight rapidly, but he kept pushing through," Katie said. He then went on to have chemotherapy, and despite the odds, "started to build himself back up". At a halfway scan, small tumours appeared in his lungs, lower back, and shoulder bone, but as chemo continued by the end of December, the secondary tumours in his lung had halved in size and the patch in his lower back bone had gone. The original tumour on his shoulder "remained stable," and Alex and Elle started making plans for their future, including an exciting move from Kent to Shropshire. Alex finished chemo in March 2025 and celebrated his 30th birthday in the same month after a challenging few months. Heartbreakingly, at the end of April, Alex became unwell and experienced strange sensations in his legs and pain in his back. In just a few days, his health deteriorated, and further results revealed that the tumours in his lungs had returned. In addition, there were new growths in his lower back, which impacted his mobility, and two small lesions were in his brain. Katie shared: "Over the coming weeks, difficult decisions were made; they pulled out of their dream home, Wills were drawn up, conversations about his declining mobility and future care were had." Alex underwent radiotherapy to his brain and lower spine, and intense physiotherapy to help him walk again. Chemo also resumed, but the morning after the first of his third chemo cycle, Alex woke up and couldn't feel his legs. He had sudden paralysis from his chest down, and an MRI revealed that two new growths were found in his spine, bringing the total to seven tumours. Katie shared that before his diagnosis, Alex and Elle, who have been together since 2019 and got engaged just nine months later, "loved travelling, eating out, going on adventures, went out with friends a lot and were film buffs". She added: "Their hopes for the future were aligned; they were desperate to move to Shropshire, and both wanted to live in the countryside. They wanted a more outdoorsy life and were thinking of starting a family. Their adventures were only just beginning." On her daughter's reliance, Katie added: "She's the strongest. and the most courageous girls I know. She's been an absolute tower of strength to Alex, giving him nothing but love and encouragement with a constant belief that they're going to come through the other end." Due to the rarity of Alex's diagnosis and it not commonly being seen in adults, receiving treatment has been challenging. On July 11, Alex and his family were hit with the gut-wrenching news that his cancer was "now uncontrollable" and that his treatment was being terminated. Devastated Katie shared: "Despite what they might think is best for Alex, they aren't delivering any actual care; all they're doing is managing his symptoms." She continued: "He's comfortable and well looked after, but his condition in effect is only just getting worse." On Wednesday, 30 July, Katie said they had "the worst day in the last 18 months". She shared: "It was a horrific day. Alex was really uncomfortable; he had hardly any sleep the day before, and he woke up saying he was done. We all gathered around him thinking, he looks so ill, this is it, we've run out of time. "I think part of his feeling so low is that he's fully aware that his cancer is potentially progressing while he's been lying there. He was starting to lose hope." After Alex said he had had enough, Katie said he was offered to go home or to a hospice. "They essentially asked him where he would like to die," she added. Refusing to give up, the family have been researching alternative treatment routes outside of the NHS for the last three weeks and set up a GoFundMe page to help raise costs to cover Alex's treatment moving forward, including travel and any additional costs. After weeks of research and rejections, Katie connected with a Professor in Germany who, despite being unable to treat Alex personally, provided details of seven treatment options, all currently used in Germany's leading Rhabdoid tumour institute - the University Medical Centre, Augsburg. Professor Robin Jones of the Royal Marsden has since been in contact to say that he is willing to take on Alex's case privately. They are now waiting for further details on his transfer and what the treatment plan will look like for Alex. "Alex is absolutely over the moon, and he's raring to go again. He's always been so determined and said he's going to be the one success case and hopefully a pioneer for children with this awful disease," his mother-in-law said. "We've gone from the darkest place to now, there's some light at the end of the tunnel. We're feeling hopeful again. We will never give up on Alex because he's so determined to live."
