17 May 2023 , 07:05
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One family has been left devastated after a dad died from a rare form of cancer just six days after getting married.
Chris McGinnis, from Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, tied the knot with his beloved partner Mel on May 4.
The dad of two had been diagnosed with Metastasis Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of bile duct cancer, in early February.
The shock diagnosis followed Chris suffering from symptoms of tiredness, a loss of appetite, and a dull ache in his lower back.
Doctors discovered a number of tumours on the 35-year-old electrician’s liver which they deemed inoperable.
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Chris’ diagnosis was terminal, but doctors initially wanted to try and give him chemotherapy in an attempt to help the dad live for another year.
Chris McGinnis pictured with his daughters Nuala (left) and Onora (right) (Mel McGinnis/GoFundMe)But sadly, side effects of the treatment blunted any benefits and it was decided Chris would discontinue chemotherapy.
By March, Chris was only given a matter of months to live, but lived long enough to marry Mel and spend more time with his cherished daughters Onora and Nuala.
NottinghamshireLive reported Natasha Walker, who has been a friend of Chris and Mel's for around 12 years, said: "He was just the funniest, nicest guy, ever. He doted on Mel and the girls and everything was about providing for them and taking care of them.
"He worked so hard for them. This has come completely out of the blue. The family are devastated.
Chris and Mel got married on May 4 (Mel McGinnis/GoFundMe)"Onora is coming up to four, she was a daddy's girl through and through, and she's finding it difficult. She keeps saying things that are breaking everyone's hearts.”
Chris made sure he enjoyed life with Mel, 29, and their children, following his diagnosis but he struggled to keep active and spent a lot of time on the sofa.
"He pulled the energy out of, I have no idea where, for that day [their wedding day]. After that, it was a very quick decline," Natasha said.
Now, a GoFundMe has been started in memory of Chris to help his two young girls.
Natasha said: "It would be nice for the girls to have something in his memory. It's not just having the unexpected costs of the funeral.
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Family friends are now fundraising to help support the two daughters (Mel McGinnis/GoFundMe)"It's really to raise as much as possible to leave the girls a trust fund in their daddy's name because that's all he would have wanted, he would have wanted them to have been taken care of for the future, and to have that time to grieve.
"We want there to be something there for the girls in the future. As a friendship group, we all feel very helpless. It's good for our focus to be on helping to raise funds for them as much as we can."
Chris' loved ones also want to encourage others to get regular health check-ups. While they say it is difficult to know whether he would still be here if the cancer had been caught sooner, his family and friends are now encouraging others to not ignore any symptoms.
Natasha said: "Don't ignore the smallest thing [health problems] just make sure you got to get checked out and appreciate the time you have with family and friends because in a couple of months, it's completely changed a family's life.
"If you're feeling unwell in any way, go get checked out. Chris was healthy and was really young and in a matter of months, he's not here."
The Chris McGinnis Memorial Fund has raised more than £6,000 since it was created on May 14. You can donate to the fundraiser here.
Chris' funeral will be held at Bramcote Crematorium. A date is yet to be set.