‘Just want to do that one thing for him’: Boss’s push to fulfil his friend’s dream after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer

The boss of a man with a terminal cancer diagnosis is pushing to make his friend’s dream a reality.

A man with terminal cancer has shared his dream of getting on a plane for the very first time as he faces less than two years left to live.

Jamie Clements, a 29-year-old from Perth’s south, was unable to keep food down for months before a lump on his neck prompted doctors to perform a biopsy.

On March 31 Mr Clements was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer, which has now spread to his liver, pelvis, lungs and lymph nodes.

Doctors have estimated he only has between nine and 24 months left to live.

“It was a bit of a shock … I’m feeling okay, just the best I can,” Mr Clements said.

Jamie Clements, a 29-year-old from Perth’s south, was unable to keep food down for months before a lump on his neck prompted doctors to perform a biopsy. Picture: Supplied

“It’s very hard at the moment but I’m doing well.”

Mr Clements has just completed his seventh round of chemotherapy and has a scan coming up in September to track the progress.

The 29-year-old has an intellectual disability and had worked in the IT department at Good Sammy (an organisation that helps people with disabilities obtain employment in WA) for nearly five years until his diagnosis.

He’s now revealed his last wish is to get on a plane, having never travelled out of the state before.

“I’d love to go to Sydney, because I’ve never been on a plane, never been out of WA,” he said.

His initial plan prior to his diagnosis was to save his money and travel to the US for about six months, as well as move out of home in a couple years, but the cancer has thrown his plans “out the window”.

Mr Clements’ boss, Paul Bolton, and his wife Robyn Bolton, have launched a fundraiser to help make Mr Clements dream a plane reality.

The couple are planning to travel with Mr Clements to Sydney, where Mr Clements is excited to see what the city has to offer.

The co-workers met at Good Sammy, where Mr Bolton — a 46-year-old with cerebral palsy also based in South Perth — works in the IT department, the pair having sat together for years.

On March 31 Mr Clements was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer.

“We’ve been sitting back to back and getting jobs done and creating a nice friendship … it’s been going really well so far,” Mr Clements said.

The pair hit it off, with Mr Bolton even revealing he and his wife had taught Mr Clements to drive.

The diagnosis has come as a massive shock to Mr Bolton, who is trying to make the time Mr Clements has left special.

“It’s just hit me like a plank of wood,” Mr Bolton said.

“I try not to think about it too much, but you just have to get on with it.

“My wife and I go to the cinema with him, we just want to make life as normal as possible because I unfortunately know we’ve not got much longer with him, but we just try to make it as best as possible while we’ve still got him.”

He described Mr Clements as a “happy go lucky”, “friendly” man.

“I’ve never once seen him down,” he said.

His boss is helping him fulfil his dream.

“He will help anyone at all and he’s always friendly.”

He added he’s a “very special person”.

“He’s very caring person, likes his friends, likes his family … he just does anything for anybody,” he said.

“He’s a very special person. Nothing gets him down.”

Mr Bolton said he’s hoping the fundraiser will take off so Mr Clements can get the trip he deserves.

“I just need some help to get the word out there — it’s not a nice story but it’s a good story,” he said.

“I think it will make such a difference to him because Jamie has never, ever been in a plane anywhere, so I just want to do that one thing for him.”

The fundraiser has raised just under $4000, which Mr Clements said is a “whopper amount of money”.

“Any amount would be appreciated … everybody just wants to get the best result for us,” he said.