An Andover man whose cancer treatment has been put on hold has spoken out after petitioning the Government to "fight alongside patients".

Andy Quick has had bladder cancer since 2015, the same year which saw the removal of his left kidney after a 9cm tumour was found on it.

After follow up investigations, doctors discovered the cancer had gone to his bladder for which he has received numerous cystoscopies to remove tumours and intensive immunotherapy to keep them at bay.

He was due to have a new kind of therapy called hypothermic immunotherapy which was to take place in Salisbury but then that was cancelled due to lockdown.

"Since my last operation in February, I have had no further treatment but am waiting on another operation in July to remove tumours that have developed in the mean time," he told the Advertiser.

"I petitioned the government a few months back asking for cancer patients to have access to the treatment they needed."

Basingstoke Gazette:

Click here to view the petition page as it currently stands

This petition was submitted back on April 24 and received the five necessary responses that would allow the Government to look it over.

But more than six weeks later, he is still waiting.

"There are so many cancer patients that have had treatment postponed," the 49-year-old added.

"We live life depending on this treatment to get us through life so we can carry on.

"This has been taken away from us and it is wrong especially when people are flouting the rules during the pandemic and putting others in danger and prolonging the treatment process."

He said the impact of not being able to have the treatment has left him feeling extremely anxious.

"Again it has made me anxious of what is going on inside my body due to not having any treatment," he said.

"Will the cancer have progressed further? Will it lead to a bigger operation such as bladder removal?

Basingstoke Gazette:

"I've spoken to some of my counterparts and like me are feeling ignored.

"Whilst we understand the pressures that the NHS are under, we can't understand why we are being left on the sidelines as months do matter with out condition."

Advice published in March by the NHS to hospital trusts says that where a diagnosis of cancer is confirmed, and to minimise the patient’s overall risk they are not listed for treatment immediately, then the patient should remain on the trust patient tracking list and a decision to treat recorded if the patient has agreed to treatment. It did add that patients should be involved in reaching this decision and given advice on how to report worsening or new symptoms.

Mr Quick encouraged anyone out there in need of help, to check out www.fightbladdercancer.co.uk