Scenic Rim family’s plans for dying father of four, Diego Allen

A Beaudesert dad whose family was glued to his bedside at home during his final weeks of life has died following a brave brain cancer battle.

Despite bravely giving up half his brain to beat cancer, tattoo artist dad Diego Allen has spent his final days at home surrounded by his loving wife and four children after succumbing to the disease.

The fun loving, kind, and affectionate tattoo artist was just 45 years old when he was diagnosed with stage four terminal brain cancer.

Diego Allen died aged 48, in his family home with his wife and four children on Saturday evening (July 9).

His wife and life partner of 11 years, Hayley Allen, said in the lead up to his diagnosis in 2019, Diego had been complaining of headaches and fatigue.

Diego and Hayley Allen. Photo – contributed.

After emergency surgery in March 2019, which removed a tumour the size of a tennis ball from Diego’s brain, the Allen family moved from the Gold Coast to Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim.

What followed was nearly three years of intense treatment including chemo, radiation, surgeries and any alternative therapy Hayley could afford.

“We tried everything we could,” she said.

“We weren’t going to stop fighting and give up.”

Unexpectedly Hayley fell pregnant during this time and in June, 2020, their youngest child and first son, Folk Allen, was born.

Diego with his children. Photo – contributed.

“At one point we weren’t sure Diego was going to live to see Folk’s birth and meet his son,” Hayley said.

The public health system told the family it was too dangerous to operate again, as the cancer crept back into Diego’s brain.

He was experiencing extreme symptoms of short term memory loss, fatigue, and pain.

In January 2021, Diego started to decline rapidly and Hayley was getting desperate.

The family fundraised nearly $130k to see controversial, yet renowned, Australian brain surgeon Charlie Teo in Sydney.

Diego and Hayley Allen with their four children. Photo – contributed.

“It was what they call a radical surgery where they take away more than just the cancer because most surgeries leave microscopic bits of cancer in healthy parts of the brain and it nearly always comes back,” Hayley explained.

“He had his whole right lobe removed, so essentially half of his brain.

“It bought us so much more time but it also took away his emotion.”

Diego was still alive and regained some strength and memory, but Hayley said he was a changed person.

Diego with his children. Photo – contributed.

“He used to be a very gentle and affectionate person,” Hayley said.

“It was a challenge for us but we were just trying to focus on the fact that at least we had him with us.”

Towards the end of 2021, in the lead up to Christmas, Hayley said she noticed changes in Diego.

“I pleaded with doctors to do scans but because of the surgery we had with Charlie Teo they wouldn’t,” she said.

It wasn’t until Diego collapsed in the family home from a brain bleed that they were able to get a scan done, privately, which confirmed the cancer was back and had spread to his spine.

“He just kept declining from there,” Hayley said.

“We tried palliative chemo and radiation but it was only buying us more time.”

By March this year Diego was wheelchair bound, and just over a week ago he has been unable to talk or move at all.

Diego and Hayley Allen. Photo – contributed.

Last week Hayley has brought in the help of a support worker and nurse, along with someone from Paperbark Death Care.

Hayley and the four children, Luna, 8, Mili, 7, Inca, 2, and Folk, 2, haven’t gone a day without crying.

“It’s just so overwhelming when you get to that point and realise he’s going to die,” Hayley said.

“I don’t have any family here so it’s just us.

“Bringing four kids in and out of hospital everyday just wasn’t going to work so having him here in our home in our bed makes the most sense.

Diego and Hayley Allen with their four children. Photo – contributed.

“We’ve been taking it in turns and alternating who gets to sleep next to him each night.

“I haven’t left his bedside all week. I’m always next to him holding his hand. I couldn’t cope any other way.”

The family’s plan is to keep him at home in bed for two to three days after he passes.

Hayley said support workers will come in and help keep the body intact.

“The kids are going to spend that time painting his casket,” she said.

Diego and Hayley Allen. Photo – contributed.

“It’s so important to me for them to understand he has passed and for them to not be scared of that … it’s actually been beautiful to see them with him this week.

“As women we bring life into this world and now I get to walk him out of it with love and care and to me that’s really special.

“After those two to three days he will be cremated and we’ll get his ashes back and will have a service here at home.”

Diego Allen with his four children. Photo – contributed.

Losing her husband was one of Hayley’s greatest fears, but she’s grateful for her time with Diego.

“I’m petrified of death, cancer and losing him,” she said.

“He might be unconscious but he still reaches out for me and I just know he hears me … we have such a strong connection.

“I’ll always remember him as the hilarious, empathetic, loyal, kind, loving, and affectionate man I fell in love with … and for the amazing dad he was.”

You can donate to help the Allen family cover the in-home care and funeral costs here.