A father was ‘fobbed off’ after bringing up concerns about worrying cancer symptoms that he was allegedly told came from drinking ‘too many fizzy drinks’.
Tom Hayman, 28, was told his months of painful issues were likely down to acid reflux, but it turned out to be a rare form of cancer that has now left him seriously ill.
The plumber, from Warrington, UK, had been feeling sick since 2024 but claims his healthcare provider brushed them aside and claimed there was ‘nothing to worry about’ because he was 27 at the time.
His age meant that he was told he was ‘too young to have cancer’, but tests would later reveal that he had a rare and incurable tumor.
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His fiancée, Mary Cooper, said his ‘alarming’ symptoms were ignored.
"He's a 6ft 5ins lad who loves his food - but all of a sudden, it was like he started forgetting to eat,” she said. "He just didn't want food. If he did eat, he'd get really bad stomach pains. He also started to lose a lot of weight."
Scans went on to find a neuroendocrine tumor in his pancreas that had spread to his liver after half a year of trying to get answers.
A neuroendocrine tumor originates in the neuroendocrine cells, which regulate hormones. Symptoms of cancer in these cells include a lump, pain in the area, and unintentional weight loss.
Mary said: "They were just fobbing us off with things like 'you drink too many fizzy drinks'."
Doctors suggested Tom's symptoms lined up with acid reflux, as he had suffered from it before; however, the pain was coming from ‘his liver area’.
While Mary said Tom was ‘worried’, she says the ‘doctor laughed and said he wouldn't have cancer at his age,’ but referred him to Warrington Hospital for scans to appease his anxiety.
"A day later, they rang to say they'd found something on his liver."
The couple then went to London to gain better insight, where they diagnosed Tom with a neuroendocrine tumor that had spread, and also a blood clot in Tom's liver.
Tom was referred to Clatterbridge in May 2025, as his fiancée claims he ‘felt like he was not being listened to and almost mocked.’
With no cure available in the UK, the family have set up a GoFundMe for Tom to travel to Germany, where doctors offer dendritic cell therapy.
This is a form of immunotherapy which boosts the body’s natural response to fight off cancer.
Mary said Tom found out about the treatment through social media.
Despite the challenges, Mary says Tom is hopeful, stating: "He believes that if he thinks positively, then positive things will come. He takes everything in his stride."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Britt Jones