Grandpa “didn’t believe for a second” the magazine in the waiting room was for him

A grandfather has said he “fights a battle every day” after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Edward Denmark, from Moreton, was experiencing – what he now knows to be – “classic symptoms” of the disease, including rib pain and fatigue. However, initially the 63-year-old’s ailments were only caused by the consequences of his time serving as a soldier in the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The former Royal Artillery gunner told the ECHO: “I knew something was wrong but the doctors were having none of it so it was frustrating for me. It was very hard to know that people didn’t believe me.”

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After a series of tests, Edward was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The Wirral father-of-two then attended Arrowe Park Hospital in Birkenhead, where it became clear that was not the case at all.

The grandfather-of-three said: “I was sitting there and noticed all these magazines on the table. They all had cancer written all over them. I told my wife Patricia about it, but never for a second did I think it had anything to do with me. But that changed when I went to the consultant.

“There was another nurse in the room with him so I knew something was wrong. She was there for support and I could tell right away.”

Edward was “shocked” to learn he was diagnosed with incurable multiple myeloma – a type of bone marrow cancer – as he claims the word ‘cancer’ had never been mentioned to him before.

Despite everything Edward said, he had “never once felt sad” since he was told of his deteriorating health.

He added: “I knew it in the back of my mind. But I think I was so conditioned to seeing death and destruction during the Falkland Islands and Northern Ireland that it didn’t go away. You realize that’s life, and of course if it’s going to be me, it’s going to be me. That’s all you can do. It is what it is and I never felt like a victim.

“Whether it was surviving an increase in poverty, fighting in war or fighting cancer, I always stayed positive. Everything in life comes down to mindset and mine has served me well – put it this way, I’ve far outlived my doctors life expectancy rather than feeling sorry for myself I feel it’s my duty to share to others my experience, with the hope that it helps them too.”

Since being diagnosed in 2015, Edward said he “simply will not be defeated” and has released three books, given numerous motivational talks and even traveled to Argentina to campaign for justice for Falklands War veterans, the former his enemy.

His latest ‘no barriers’ book, B Positive, is based on his journey with terminal cancer. The novel is said to take the reader on a “deeply moving journey through diagnosis, treatment, the secrets of survival, and finding solace and humor in the depths of despair.”

The author said, “My goal is to remind people how precious life is, but also to give them the inspiration and tools to mentally cope with illness, pain, and extreme adversity.

“I hope the book can be of help to anyone in a similar position to me. The only thing we control is our attitude, and that can be the difference between life and death.”

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