Doctors Mistake Cancer For Hay Fever

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Man Dies Of Cancer After Doctors Mistake His Symptoms For Hay Fever

Aaron's Battle/Facebook

When you feel sick, the most sensible thing to do is book an appointment with your doctor.

Once there, you'll tell your physician your symptoms, and they'll typically give you a diagnosis, prescribe some medication and send you off on your merry way to recover.

But like us, doctors are human and can make mistakes. Unfortunately, some can be deadly.

The Diagnosis

In August 2016, Aaron Winstanley, 30, was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma -  a soft tissue tumor that develops from connective tissues in the body, such as muscles, fat, bones, the linings of joints, or blood vessels.

Although the wind turbine technician suspected he had cancer after developing sinus and congestion problems, his doctors diagnosed him with hay fever instead.

According to MedicineNet.com, hay fever is a common allergic condition, with symptoms including a stuffy or runny nose, itchy and watering eyes, and sneezing.

They gave him steroids, antibiotics and antihistamines, but when he became blind in one eye only a few months later, doctors discovered he had terminal cancer.

Test results showed the cancer spread from his cheek to the rest of his body, and decided to treat the disease was with immunotherapy.

"He has changed the lives of so many of us."

However, the treatment wasn't available on the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom.

He and his wife, Saraya Gallagher created a GoFundMe page to raise the £300,000 ($390,500 USD) needed to receive treatment at the Hallwang Clinic in Germany.

While Winstanley had started treatment this past summer, Gallagher announced he passed away this past Friday on the Aaron's Battle Facebook page.

"It's with a broken heart that I have to say that Aaron passed away in the early hours of Friday morning.

He was at home where he wanted to be and drifted off peacefully in his sleep. He had spoken about it and was ready to go, it seemed as though he chose the exact moment for himself.

I know we were lucky in some ways that we knew the chance of death was there and we got the chance to speak about lots of things before it came.

But on the other hand the closeness and just absolutely pure love we developed over the last 2 years after everything we've been through together is one I can't even begin to describe and the loss feels unbearable for me right now as I know it will to so many of you that loved him so much.

I never knew you could be so close to one person and love them so intensely and selflessly as he did to me and I to him. He has changed the lives of so many of us in such a positive way and will continue to do so I'm sure."

"I hope he can continue to change the world through his charity."

Even though Winstanley has passed away, Gallagher explained a charity will be set up in

"Aaron gave me strict instructions on lots of things and one of those things was that he wants Aaron's Battle to become a charity to help other people, so if you'd like to help us carry on pushing for that target and building Aaron's legacy then I'd be honoured," she wrote.

"Keep your banners up with pride and carry on with your fundraising events if you feel able to. Most of the money we raised was spent on his treatment but I'll figure out how much is left over the next few days or so and in time we will use that to start the charity that will be Aaron's legacy."

"He has changed the whole of Barton for the better and I hope he can continue to change the world through his charity."

[H/T: Hull Daily Mail]

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Aaron's friends and family during this difficult time.

Maya has been working at Shared for a year. She just begrudgingly spent $200 on a gym membership. Contact her at maya@shared.com