Two decades of naval service, including duty in the Falklands War, shaped the remarkable life of Steve Hammond before he faced his greatest challenge – a rare sarcoma cancer diagnosis that eventually claimed his life. Now his daughter Jodie Merrell is preparing to honour his memory by running 26 miles in the TCS London Marathon.
Jodie, 34, a mother of two from Corby, says a ‘massive missing hole’ has been left in her family following the death of her dad, Steve, from sarcoma.
Steve had spotted a lump in his upper chest. At first, medics thought he might have breast cancer and a series of tests and biopsies proved inconclusive. It took six months for him to be finally diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma.
He had an operation in November 2016 to remove the tumour but, Jodie said, his cancer returned ‘with a vengeance’ and spread.
The family were told that Steve’s cancer was terminal in December 2017. He was offered chemotherapy so he could have more time with his family but the treatment made him feel so ill that he asked for it to be stopped after three months.
Jodie said: ‘It was hard for us to accept, the chemotherapy was supposed to give us more time with Steve, so it was shocking to hear.’
But Jodie and the rest of the family made the most of the time Steve had remaining, including a family holiday to the Norfolk Broads. Jodie also got married to her fiancé in June 2018, so Steve was able to walk her down the aisle. ‘It was the best summer ever,’ she said.
However, Steve’s health went downhill from October onwards and he died aged 62 at the end of 2018.
Jodie, who has two older sisters, described Steve as a ‘strong-minded’ person who managed to retain his sense of humour during his illness, mocking his own hair loss when he had chemotherapy.
A petty officer, he had been in the Navy for 24 years and once met Diana, Princess of Wales, when he won an award for his videography.
Jodie, a key account manager at a company that makes baby products, will run the London Marathon on 27 April for charity Sarcoma UK. She recently held a charity ball in Corby for Sarcoma UK which raised more than £3,100.
She said: ‘Unfortunately, my dad’s sarcoma cancer took too long to be diagnosed. He endlessly Googled and searched through forums for some clues, guidance and positivity. We need more awareness of sarcoma, so people like my father can be diagnosed quicker and receive better treatment. I feel if he had a quicker diagnosis and a faster responding plan, he might have been here today.’
‘Steve’s story highlights the ongoing challenges we see with sarcoma diagnosis,’ said Helen Stradling, Support Line Manager at Sarcoma UK. ‘Sarcomas can be notoriously difficult to diagnose as they can present with vague symptoms that mimic other conditions. The average diagnosis time for sarcoma patients is often several months, which can significantly impact treatment options and outcomes. We are investing in vital research to improve diagnosis times and develop more effective treatments. Our Support Line is available for anyone who needs information, guidance, or simply someone to talk to about sarcoma. It’s staffed by specialist sarcoma advisers who understand the unique challenges these patients and their families face.’
Call the confidential Sarcoma UK Support Line on 0808 801 0401 (Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm), or email supportline@sarcoma.org.uk, or text 07860 058830 to speak with a specialist adviser.
To donate to Jodie, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/jodie-merrell-1721904980041
