Married couple Daniel and Alison Dalton dealt devastating double diagnosis

A family of five has been dealt a devastating blow just before the festive period, leaving both mum and dad battling separate health journeys.

At the end of 2024 Daniel and Alison Dalton’s world was turned upside down when they were told they both had tumours.

A numb face led dad, Daniel, 37, who grew up in the Adelaide Hills, to a diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) — a rare type of cancer doctors found in his jaw.

While for mum, Alison, 36, growing tiredness made her book a GP appointment which caused her to discover a thyroid tumour — which she must continue to wait for surgery to discover whether is cancerous or not.

The couple share three young children.

“It’s weighing on their hearts massively,” Daniel’s brother Samuel Dalton told The Advertiser.

Daniel, who was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, and Alison Dalton, who was diagnosed with a thyroid tumour, with their children Charlie, 7, Oliver, 4 and Lucy 2. Picture: Supplied by family

Alison will wait to have surgery until after Daniel has his. Picture: Supplied by family

All while the couple — who have been married for 14 years — face their respective health battles, they must continue to care for their three children — Charlie 7, Oliver, 4 and Lucy 2 as well as juggle their own business.

When doctors discovered Daniel’s tumour they told the pair to postpone Alison’s surgery as Daniel’s was much more aggressive and it would be best for the children to have a parent present at all times.

According to Samuel, doctors said doing so would be no risk to Alison.

Alison and Lucy together. Picture: Supplied by family

Daniel, who was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, with his daughter Lucy. Picture: Supplied by family

Daniel is about to undergo surgery which will involve the removal of the tumour and the surrounding affected areas, including most of his upper jaw.

His jaw will be reconstructed from 3D printed materials and bone from his leg, then radiotherapy to follow.

“He’s not going to be able to eat solid food, he’s going to lose the ability to talk, he will need to go through speech therapy to relearn how to talk, he’s not going to have feeling in the left side of his face, there’s a risk he might lose sight in his left eye,” Samuel said.

“Doctors have said …‘we’re going to be good friends over the next 15 to 20 years because it a type of cancer that doesn’t just go away’.”

Alison had symptoms of tiredness which prompted her to go to the GP. Picture: Supplied by family

Towards the end of last year Alison began feeling more tired than usual and decided to visit the GP for answers.

After a range of tests and scans they discovered she had a tumour.

That prompted Daniel to go to the doctor also, as he was also suffering with the same symptoms.

“He was also feeling some numbness in his face that made him a bit concerned,” Samuel said.

In the middle of December scans revealed the heartbreaking results.

“It devastated him,” Samuel said.

“He rang me on a Tuesday afternoon after he got the results … he could only cry and he just said, please help. It was devastating.”

Samuel got on a plane straight away to visit his brother following that call, who moved to The Central Coast of New South Wales in his mid-20s after meeting Alison while travelling Australia.

If you’d like to donate to the Daltons you can here.