Man, 30, put pain down to gym aches, then doctors asked where he'd like to die

Irish Daily Mirror

a day ago

At the young age of 29, Alex Able was looking forward to a bright future and planning a family with his wife, Elle. However, their dreams were shattered just two years after their 2021 wedding when Alex received a devastating diagnosis, confirming he had one of the world's rarest cancers.
Now 30, Alex, an engineer from Kent, lives with Elle, aged 27, and their two cats, Socks and Sage. He initially brushed off shoulder pain in September 2023 as a minor issue due to his active gym routine.
Despite the pain disrupting his sleep, Alex managed to get an MRI scan, which initially came back clear in November 2023. This news followed a doctor's caution regarding the consumption of even 'a single cup of tea'.
The relief from the initial scan results was short-lived; by May 2024, the pain had worsened, leading to another scan that revealed a large tumour on his shoulder and close to his spinal cord.
Although surgeons successfully removed 90% of the tumour, the remaining 10% was too risky to extract due to its proximity to Alex's spine. The tumour was tested, and within a fortnight, Alex faced a harrowing diagnosis, reports the Mirror.
"Our world came crashing down around us all," said Katie Bleach, Alex's mother-in-law from Kent, who has been liaising with the press on behalf of her daughter Elle and Alex.
Alex was diagnosed with a Rhabdoid tumour, a rare and aggressive cancer that usually affects young children. According to Katie, this type of disease is so uncommon that there are believed to be only about 11 confirmed cases across Europe, with Alex thought to be the first in the UK. Alex and Elle Able (Image: Handout) Alex was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer that typically affects young children (Image: Handout)
"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," shared the distressed parent.
Merely four weeks following his initial operation, the tumour had regrown to its original size. Alex then faced intensive radiotherapy sessions every day for six weeks, aiming to reduce the tumour.
"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," recounted Katie.
Subsequently, Alex began chemotherapy and against all odds, "started to build himself back up". A scan partway through revealed small tumours in his lungs, lower back, and shoulder bone; however, as chemotherapy progressed, by the end of December, the secondary tumours in his lung had diminished by half and the spot on his lower back bone had disappeared.
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 completed chemotherapy in March 2025 and marked his 30th birthday in the same month following a gruelling period.
Devastatingly, towards the end of April, Alex fell ill and began experiencing unusual sensations in his legs alongside back pain. Within mere days, his condition worsened dramatically, with subsequent test results showing that the lung tumours had made a comeback.
Moreover, fresh growths had developed in his lower back, affecting his ability to move, whilst two minor lesions appeared in his brain.
Katie revealed: "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 received radiotherapy treatment to his brain and lower spine, coupled with intensive physiotherapy to restore his walking ability. Chemotherapy also recommenced, but the morning following his first session of the third cycle, Alex awoke unable to feel his legs.
He suffered sudden paralysis from the chest downwards, with an MRI scan discovering two additional growths in his spine, taking the total count to seven tumours.
Katie revealed that prior to his diagnosis, Alex and Elle, who have been a couple since 2019 and became engaged just nine months afterwards, "loved travelling, eating out, going on adventures, went out with friends a lot and were film buffs". She elaborated on their shared aspirations, saying: "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." Alex Able was given a heart-shattering diagnosis (Image: Handout) Alex and Elle got married in 2021 and were excited for their future together (Image: Handout)
Katie spoke of her daughter's unwavering support for Alex: "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."
The rarity of Alex's condition has made treatment difficult, and on July 11, the family received the harrowing update that his cancer was "now uncontrollable" and his treatment would cease.
Katie expressed her heartbreak over the medical approach: "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 added that while Alex is comfortable, his health continues to deteriorate: "He's comfortable and well looked after, but his condition in effect is only just getting worse."
On Wednesday, July 30, Katie recounted their most challenging day: "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."
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Katie recounted how after Alex expressed he'd had enough, he was given the stark choice of going home or to a hospice. "They essentially asked him where he would like to die," she disclosed.
Determined not to surrender, the family has spent the past three weeks exploring alternative treatments outside the NHS and have launched a GoFundMe page to gather funds for Alex's ongoing treatment, which includes travel and other expenses.
Katie eventually made contact with a Professor in Germany who couldn't treat Alex himself but provided information on seven treatment options available at Germany's premier Rhabdoid tumour centre – the University Medical Centre, Augsburg.
Professor Robin Jones from the Royal Marsden has reached out to offer his services to take on Alex's case privately. The family is currently awaiting details regarding his transfer and the proposed treatment plan.
"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 shared with optimism.
"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."
You can visit Alex's GoFundMe page here.
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