Mine worker Clayton Rose diagnosed with glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer

Just days after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, Clayton Rose proposed to his sweetheart of 15 years. Within a fortnight, they were married. Now they face the prospect of their final Christmas together.

Just days after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, Clayton Rose proposed to Katrina Rayner, his sweetheart of 15 years.

Within a fortnight, the couple was married in an emotional service on November 21 in Rockhampton.

“As sick as he was, he went in and picked his ring, my rings, my dress, his outfit. He did it all,” Katrina said.

“We planned to have the service at Kershaw Gardens with just a witness each but then some of my family found out we were going to do it low-key and they ended up hiring cars and photographers.

“Deb from Cloud 9 Celebrants said it was one of the most emotional wedding ceremonies she had ever done.”

On November 5, Clayton was told by doctors in Brisbane that he had glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer.

Katrina said the diagnosis came out of the blue.

Clayton, who she describes as a fun-loving dude who cherished “happy times”, was working full-time as a mechanical fitter for UGL at the BMA Blackwater Mine.

“On October 20, he came home not feeling great. Within a couple of days, the left side of his face had drooped,” Katrina said.

“We went to the (Rockhampton) base hospital and they found two lesions on the right-hand side of his brain.

“He was flown to Royal Brisbane Hospital and was diagnosed with glioblastoma.

“Clayton’s just 49 and his prognosis is three to 12 months.

“They’re really aggressive tumours. They’re like octopuses, they shoot out little tentacles everywhere and it just keeps spreading.

“There were no real warning signs as such but Clayton probably had a couple of headaches in the months leading up to it and he never, ever had headaches before.

“The doctors thought it was a stroke and then they did the testing, MRIs and CT scans, and then he went to Brisbane for the biopsy and got the horrible news.”

Katrina said Clayton was having tablet-form chemotherapy because the rapid growth of the tumours meant radium was not viable.

She has taken on the role of his full-time carer and says her experience as a support worker with Access Recreation has proven invaluable.

“His next check-up is Monday and our hope is that they will have shrunk enough that maybe they will offer radium again,” she said.

“We know it’s not a cure, it will just prolong his life, giving him a better quality of life really.

“I don’t think Clayton’s processed it, I don’t know how he will.

“He has his ups and downs, he tries to be positive but it’s so hard.

“He’s lost a lot of his independence because the pressure of the tumour means he can’t use his left-hand side - he can’t feed himself or shower himself.”

Clayton and Katrina have five children from previous relationships and two grandchildren.

Clayton’s siblings and children have travelled from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania to be with him.

They plan to enjoy family time over Christmas, treasuring what might realistically be their last together.

“We’re hoping to get past Christmas and then take him on a little trip, just a couple of days around Mackay or Bundaberg,” Katrina said.

“We definitely don’t want him going back into hospital; he’s going to do palliative care at home.

“Clayton just wants to spend time with family now.

“He’s worked hard all his life. He loves his family, loves his Harleys, loves a drink.

“He’s just a typical Aussie bloke but that all changed within a day of him finding out what his condition was.”

Katrina said Clayton’s workmates had been absolutely fabulous and a gofundme page has been set up for the family.

“It’s an absolutely cruel disease and we’re just taking things one day at a time,” she said.

“Our motto is if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry.

“This is a silent cancer so if you have any sort of twinge or you feel that anything’s wrong make sure you go to the doctors and get yourself checked out.

“This can happen to anyone.

“I guess the main message is to live every day. Don’t stress the little things because you never know what can happen tomorrow.”