Dad welcomes first grandchild and walks daughter down the aisle while recovering from cancer surgery

What a fortnight for Maesteg dad Lee Brain who underwent a six-hour operation to remove a cancerous tumour before welcoming his first grandchild and then walking his daughter down the aisle.

The 47-year-old school caretaker was diagnosed with sarcoma earlier this year and underwent surgery to remove a huge tumour from his shoulder, which was reconstructed using skin, fat and muscle from his thigh.

This has left him with two large surgical wounds and will require time to heal before he can undergo radiotherapy and physiotherapy.

(Main image above shows Emmaleen and Lee with their newborn grandson)

Lee is now urging people to be aware of the telltale signs of sarcoma and to get themselves checked out without delay if they have any suspicions.

Sarcoma is an uncommon cancer of the connective tissue of the body such as fat, muscle, nerves, blood vessels and bone.

In South and Mid Wales, people with confirmed or suspected soft tissue sarcoma are supported by the South Wales Sarcoma Service, which is hosted by Swansea Bay.

Lee, who was cared for by the Morriston Hospital-based team, has told his story to coincide with Sarcoma Awareness Month, which runs during July.

In February, he was organising the staging for a school concert when he felt a pain in his shoulder, where a small lump developed.

He thought nothing of it. But by April, it had doubled in size and Lee’s wife Emaleen insisted he went to his GP. Scans and a biopsy were arranged and the diagnosis confirmed.

“When the doctor told me, I thought he was wrong,” said Lee, who lives in Caerau and works at Coleg Cymunedol y Dderwen in Tondu.  “Then it sunk in and I started crying. I thought, this can’t be real.”

Consultant plastic, reconstructive and sarcoma surgeon Thomas Bragg operated on Lee at Morriston Hospital last month.

(Right: Lee walking daughter Cody down the aisle; the lump on Lee's shoulder) 

Mr Bragg said: “Lee had removal of a shoulder sarcoma. It was rapidly growing so we did the operation within a few days.

“He had a microsurgical reconstruction which involved taking soft tissue from his thigh and placing it onto his shoulder. This involved suturing blood vessels into his shoulder using a microscope.

“Because we operated so quickly we hope we have managed to save structures in the shoulder to not only clear the tumour but also maintain  function. Next step will be recovery, physiotherapy, and radiotherapy.”

Lee, while facing weeks of recovery before he can start treatment, is being upbeat. “You’ve got to think positive,” he said. “You can’t just go and sit in the corner and try not to think about it.”

“I had some incentives. I had the operation on 2^nd June and on 6^th June, our youngest daughter Bethan had a little boy, Cian Lee Joseph Page, our first grandchild.

“Then on June 13^th, our older daughter married to her partner Sean and I was determined to walk her down the aisle. It was a bit of a struggle and I was in a lot of pain, but I did it.

“So there was a lot happening and if I hadn’t had the surgery so quickly I don’t think I’d be here now.

“I’m so grateful to Mr Bragg and all the staff here. They’ve been amazing. I have felt like I’m in really good hands.”

(Lee with surgeon Mr Thomas Bragg and sarcoma cancer support worker Lucy Whiddett)

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month and the South Wales team has worked with the Sarcoma UK charity to organise the Rare But Real walk in Swansea on Saturday 22^nd August.

The name draws attention to the “forgotten cancer” that accounts for fewer than two per cent of all adult cancers.

Mr Bragg said: “The message is a very simple one. If you have a lump which is growing rapidly, or is bigger than five centimetres, or feels deep, or is painful, go and see your GP.

“You might need an ultrasound scan to further characterise it. In maybe two or three per cent of cases it might be sarcoma, in which case you will be referred into our MDT team.

“For most people, though, it is a benign lump. They are reassured and can get on with life. But the earlier the diagnosis, the better for the patient.”

Lee, who will be involved with the Rare But Real Walk, agreed. “Get it checked out if you have any concerns,” he said. “If it hadn’t been for Emaleen telling me to go to the GP I would have just let it drag on.”