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Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
Scottish dad visits GP and A&E with 'stomach pains' and dies four weeks later
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A woman who lost her brother to pancreatic cancer four weeks after his diagnosis has called for the Scottish Government to take action on early screening. Sister Isla Gear lost dad Tom Barker on Boxing Day last year, leaving behind his 12-year-old son Max, despite the cab driver visiting the doctor and A&E in pain while his symptoms were overlooked. The disease was never detected until it was too late and the beloved 47-year-old ended up in hospital days after diagnosis, never to return home, the Daily Record reports. Just hours before Tam's death, he asked Isla from Leven to set up a petition calling for critical investment in early pancreatic cancer detection in Scotland. It received a 200,000 signatures - making history as largest petition in the UK related to the disease. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Isla is now taking the campaign to Holyrood and will hand-deliver an open letter to the Scottish Government today, backed by over 59,000 signatories, hand-in-hand with nephew Max. The 38-year-old said: 'Tam was meant to be here for this. I'm spreading the message because he can't. "For him, his young son, our family and every person who may be affected by this disease in the future." Tam began experiencing stomach pain and constipation symptoms as early as spring 2024. Despite repeated efforts to seek help — and a family history of the disease — his concerns were continually waved off as minor. 'When he went to A&E, they kept saying he had a blockage,' Isla recalled. 'He was given laxatives and sent home. (Image: Daily Record.) "It wasn't until Tam had an appointment with his usual GP in November that the symptoms were taken seriously. On the 21st of November, Tam went back to A&E on his GPs orders. They ordered a CT scan to check for a blockage." The scan intended to investigate a suspected blockage revealed Tam was suffering from pancreatic cancer. 'He said it felt like being fired from a job,' Isla said. 'They just sent him home, still in pain, with no real answers. It just didn't feel real." (Image: Daily Record) After weeks of pain and rapid weight loss of 20kg from September to November, Tam was admitted to hospital again on December 4 with hopes he'd return home soon. Tragically, he was moved to a hospice on December 22 where he passed away the day after Christmas. Every year, around 897 people in Scotland and over 10,700 across the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. No early detection tests currently exist to help doctors diagnose it and, once discovered, 80 per cent of cases are already too advanced for life-saving surgery. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox The open letter, part of the Pancreatic Cancer UK charity's 'Unite. Diagnose. Save Lives.' campaign, demands the Scottish Government take three urgent steps: Roll out regular monitoring for those at high risk of the disease. Back promising early detection tests and integrate them into cancer services. Pressure Westminster to invest at least £35million annually in pancreatic cancer research for the next two decades. Isla and Max have also committed to delivering their message to all four UK parliaments. 'Even if it saves one family, that's enough,' Isla said. 'Cancer doesn't respect borders, and neither should the fight against it. "Tam was selfless. He wanted to help everyone. Now, through this campaign, he still can.'
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Sister of man who died four weeks after pancreatic cancer diagnosis calls for treatment investment
Cab driver Tam Barker was sent home with laxatives by doctors in the months before he his death when he was actually suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer. A grieving Scots sister is demanding government action after losing her brother to pancreatic cancer four weeks after his diagnosis. Isla Gear lost brother Tam Barker on Boxing Day last year, leaving behind his 12-year-old son Max, after months of countless GP appointments and A&E visits in agony while symptoms were dismissed. The disease was never detected until it was too late and the beloved 47-year-old cab driver ended up in hospital days after diagnosis, never to return home. Just hours before Tam's death, he asked Isla from Leven to set up a petition calling for critical investment in early pancreatic cancer detection in Scotland. It received a 200,000 signatures - making history as largest petition in the UK related to the disease. Isla is now taking the campaign to Holyrood and will hand-deliver an open letter to the Scottish Government today, backed by over 59,000 signatories, hand-in-hand with nephew Max. The 38-year-old said: 'Tam was meant to be here for this. I'm spreading the message because he can't. "For him, his young son, our family and every person who may be affected by this disease in the future." Tam began experiencing stomach pain and constipation symptoms as early as spring 2024. Despite repeated efforts to seek help — and a family history of the disease — his concerns were continually waved off as minor. 'When he went to A&E, they kept saying he had a blockage,' Isla recalled. 'He was given laxatives and sent home. "It wasn't until Tam had an appointment with his usual GP in November that the symptoms were taken seriously. "On the 21st of November, Tam went back to A&E on his GPs orders. They ordered a CT scan to check for a blockage." The scan intended to investigate a suspected blockage revealed Tam was suffering from pancreatic cancer. 'He said it felt like being fired from a job,' Isla said. 'They just sent him home, still in pain, with no real answers. It just didn't feel real." After weeks of pain and rapid weight loss of 20kg from September to November, Tam was admitted to hospital again on December 4 with hopes he'd return home soon. Tragically, he was moved to a hospice on December 22 where he passed away the day after Christmas. Every year, around 897 people in Scotland and over 10,700 across the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. No early detection tests currently exist to help doctors diagnose it and, once discovered, 80% of cases are already too advanced for life-saving surgery. The open letter, part of the Pancreatic Cancer UK charity's 'Unite. Diagnose. Save Lives.' campaign, demands the Scottish Government take three urgent steps: Roll out regular monitoring for those at high risk of the disease. Back promising early detection tests and integrate them into cancer services. Pressure Westminster to invest at least £35million annually in pancreatic cancer research for the next two decades. 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'. Isla and Max have also committed to delivering their message to all four UK parliaments. 'Even if it saves one family, that's enough,' Isla said. 'Cancer doesn't respect borders, and neither should the fight against it. "Tam was selfless. He wanted to help everyone. Now, through this campaign, he still can.'
