Mum's illness inspired me to be a doctor
Son plans concert to honour cancer death parent
The son of a woman whose terminal cancer was missed three times by doctors has found a way to cope with his grief – by studying to become a doctor himself.
Dean Rees was heartbroken when his 50-year-old mum Susan died from lung and liver cancer just days after medics had given a diagnosis of simple stress.
The Heelands mother-of-three was rushed to A & E three times in agony in less than a week in August 2008.
But each time she was "dismissed as a hypochondriac" and sent home, claims Mr Rees.
Four days after the last visit Susan was dead, with barely time to say goodbye to her family.
A post mortem showed she was riddled with cancer.
Mr Rees, 33, who left school at 16 and flunked college to
become a musician, said: "For a long time I was eaten up with anger and frustration that my mum should have suffered in such a way.
"I just didn't understand why,
"I spent hour after hour pouring over her medical notes, looking up unfamiliar terms on the internet and learning all I could about cancer.
"I found myself becoming more and more interested in medical things.
Learning became a real passion and I realised I'd finally found my true vocation - I wanted to be a doctor specialising in haematology."
The dad of two, who chose haematology because, he says, "blood holds all the answers", could not afford to become a full-time mature student.
So he enrolled at the Open University, from where he recently graduated in Health and Social Care.
Now he plans to study on to pass his medical exams and become a fully-fledged haematologist.
Meanwhile he has another major plan, this time using his musical talents.
He said: "I'm organising a benefit rock concert for the whole of Milton Keynes this summer.
"It will be called Concert for Cancer and it will raise money for research into a cure for cancer.
"Anyone who has lost someone from cancer can have their loved-one's photograph projected up on a screen as a tribute to them.
"The overriding message is: 'Let's find a cure before it kills any more people.'"
Dean is hoping the Concert for Cancer concept will be repeated in other areas after the pioneering Milton Keynes gig.
"It's a lot of work but I can do it," he added. "And I know my mum would be proud."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Milton Keynes
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
