They gave him weeks but Mark held on to celebrate special family moments
Statistics said Mark should have died after two to three years from first being diagnosed but he surprised medics with his determination for survival. He knew he was living on borrowed time but was adamant to celebrate life while he still could and held his ‘wake’ at the Fire Station Club, West Denton.
At the time, Mark said: “I wanted to have a party to celebrate 10 years of still being here but it was my dad who joked it was like having a wake but I will be there.
“What’s the point of having a party after you go and not being able to attend? We’ve always loved a party so I want to be there.
“It’s so I can say thank you to people who have supported us for the past 10 years physically and emotionally.”
Jackie said: “Mark’s funeral will be held on Friday, October 27, at 12 noon at the West Road Crematorium and family and friends will return to the Fire Station Club for the real wake. It’s what Mark would have wanted.”
Jackie added: “The day before he died he said he would always be there with us and we are taking comfort in this. He was not frightened of dying but of the unknown and we talked about going to sleep. He said he promised he would always be on my left shoulder and he never broke a promise and I take strength in that.”
Over the years Mark and his friends and family raised around £30,000 for the Charlie Bear for cancer care charitable fund and about £4,000 for the Brain Tumour UK. Jackie says they will continue to raise funds in Mark’s memory.