A father-of-three could have less than a year left to live after being given an incurable diagnosis following an eye test.
Michael Sixsmith went to the opticians for some new glasses in September 2023 after he noticed that watching TV gave him headaches.
The 61-year-old found out during this eye test that he had a cataract on his right eye.
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A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of an eye that can impair vision. They can usually be fixed with a straight-forward surgery, so Michael was referred to an eye hospital.
The dad went to his appointment but doctors found something odd during his scan.
It was revealed that the 'cataract' was a non-aggressive uveal melanoma, which is a disease where cancer cells form in the eye tissues.
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This wasn't the end though, as the Edenfield-based children's entertainer was sent for surgery to remove it, which proved successful, though Michael was told that he would have to have scans every six months, just to be on the safe side.
The reason for this was because there was a chance that the melanoma could spread to his liver.
But on his first ultrasound scan just six months later, Michael discovered that the cancer had in fact spread to his liver, and it was incurable.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he said: “I wish they’d said three months.
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“Because within six months I was diagnosed with cancer. There were five melanomas growing in my liver.
“Me and my wife both burst into tears. I told my doctor it couldn’t be true because it’s the sort of thing you see on a Channel 5 film in the afternoon.
“I thought, ‘This doesn’t happen, you can’t tell me this,’ that’s how I felt. He told me that without treatment, I was going to die."
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Michael was told that he had 12 months left to live without any further treatment, and with NHS treatment, it's believed he could live for 18 months.
The 61-year-old further explained: “We have a boy, 11-year-old Malachy, and I definitely want to be around to see him grow into the fabulous young man I know he will be.
“My wife Kyla is always crying. My cancer that starts in the eye and grows in the liver is extremely difficult to treat.
“NHS treatment only has a 15 percent response rate. I want to prove (the doctors) wrong, I really do.
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“I’ve got a beautiful family. I’ve got the life I always wanted. I just don't want to go; I want to be here for another 20 years."
The children's DJ now hopes to go through private treatment which reportedly has a higher chance of success for treating his type of cancer.
Expected to cost £50,000, a GoFundMe has been set up to help the family pay for the operation. It has raised over £20,600 at the time of writing.
If you wish to donate, you can do so here.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Joshua Nair