GoFundMe for Bendigo dad Darren Hinton diagnosed with terminal cancer
An ordinary day at work for a beloved Bendigo dad turned into an “unimaginable” nightmare for his “heartbroken” after a seizure revealed he had terminal brain cancer.
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A Bendigo family has been left “heartbroken” after their beloved father was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
Darren Hinton started to feel unwell at work on December 17 last year, feeling strange sensations in his arms and legs.
Thinking it was a stroke, he was rushed to Bendigo Hospital.
What was discovered on subsequent brain scans would turn the lives of his family upside down.
It was revealed that Darren had two brain tumours that had caused his seizure.
It was clear he needed immediate surgery, but the loving father held off a few days to attend his son’s Grade 6 graduation.
One golf ball sized tumour was successfully removed during his surgery, however, the surgeons couldn’t operate on the other tumour and Mr Hinton was handed the death sentence of glioblastoma – terminal brain cancer.
Mr Hinton was given about 18 months to live.
“I’m absolutely heartbroken,” his wife April said.
“It’s unimaginable to think about what it might be like to not have Darren (in our lives).”
The Bendigo father of four has commenced chemotherapy and radiation treatment and his family is hoping to spend as much quality time with him before the end.
The fatal diagnosis was only the latest tragedy to hit the family after Mrs Hinton’s father suffered an accident that left him with a broken neck and an incomplete quadriplegic.
Mrs Hinton’s mother also suffered from a medical condition that left her an incomplete quadriplegic.
Mr and Mrs Hinton had already been under immense financial and emotional strain as they supported the couple, with the diagnosis coming as a kick in the guts
In response to the family’s tragedy, the Bendigo community raised $17,000 in just one day.
A GoFundMe to support the family through the burden of Mr Hinton’s illness has already reached more than $20,000 in donations.
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Mrs Hinton said the support from the community was “overwhelming”.
“Just to know there is that amount of support for such an amazing man … I don’t have the words to express how much that means,” she said.
“I can’t tell everybody how much we appreciate everybody’s support and kindness that they’re showing us.
“I think that really reflects on Darren as a person and the kind man that he is.”
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