Heartbroken dad of four, 39, told he has just 18 months to live

A dad-of-four has been told he only has 18 months to live – after his bowel cancer returned and spread. Heartbroken Matt Jones, 39, said the diagnosis is “crushing” – and has left him fearing that his two youngest children “will not even remember [him] when [he’s] gone”.

The painter and decorator, from High Halden, Kent, admitted he still feels “numb” following the devastating news – but is determined to “make the most of the time [he] has left”. His local community has rallied to support him in this endeavour – setting up a GoFundMe which will hopefully fund a dream holiday to Disneyland and help the family make lasting memories.

Matt was first diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in June 2023, after he collapsed at home with extreme stomach pain. He had most of his large bowel removed and endured six months of chemotherapy, before being told he was in remission in March 2024.

However, in December, Matt discovered the cancer had returned. Doctors initially hoped to start treatment again but a recent scan showed the cancer had spread to his liver, meaning surgery was no longer possible.

Matt and his wife Nicki were told there was nothing more that could be done. Recalling the moment, Matt said: “At first, I just felt empty. When I was first told the cancer had returned in December, I broke down, but this time, it was just numbness.

“My wife and I just sat there, trying to process it. It’s crushing, especially when I can have days where I feel almost normal.”

Matt and Nicki are yet to break the news to their four children – William, eight, Isabelle, five, and twins Esme and Isla, 20 months. Matt said: “We’re trying to find the right time. They know I’ve been unwell, but we haven’t told them everything yet.

“We just want to keep things as normal as possible for them. My worst fear in all of this is knowing the twins will not even remember me when I’m gone. It’s such a hard thought.”

Esme and Isla were born just weeks before Matt’s first diagnosis in 2023 – making the past two years an incredibly challenging time for the family. To make matters even more difficult, Nicki has also faced serious health battles – undergoing surgery for a glioma brain tumour in 2022.

She still requires regular scans to monitor for any recurrence. Matt said: “We’ve been through so much already. It’s been one thing after another. When Nicki was in hospital with the twins after they were born, I started experiencing severe pain.

“I ended up having emergency surgery because I had a blockage in my bowel that was life-threatening. That’s when we found out it was cancer.”

After months of treatment, the family hoped they had put the worst behind them. But by September 2024, Matt began experiencing symptoms again. Blood tests showed his tumour markers had increased dramatically, and in December, scans revealed the cancer had returned and spread.

Matt said: “I started chemotherapy again straight away, and in January, I was told I’d been accepted for surgery in Basingstoke. But before going ahead, they wanted to check my liver again, because there were some suspicious findings. That’s when we got the latest news that it had spread, and surgery was no longer an option.”

In the wake of the news, the community in High Halden has rallied together to help the Jones family enjoy special moments together. A GoFundMe has been launched – with £5,960 already raised. Matt admitted he feels “overwhelmed” by the support.

He said: “The amount of love and support we’ve had from the community has been overwhelming. There are raffles, golf days, and fundraising events happening – I can’t keep up with it all. It really does mean the world to us.”

At the moment, Matt is focusing on his family. He said: “I don’t know how we’ve got through it all, but somehow we have.

“Right now, I’m just focusing on making the most of the time I have left and spending it with the people I love.”

To donate to the GoFundMe for Matt and his family, visit this page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-dream-trip-for-a-family-facing-cancer-every-moment-counts

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