Holiday meal leads to terminal diagnosis for Whyalla man, Greg Hollinshed and partner Ally Storr left heartbroken

An SA man’s holiday meal led to severe stomach pains – and then a life-changing discovery.

Greg Hollinshed never would’ve suspected the stomach pains he experienced after eating a meal while on holiday would lead to a terminal diagnosis.

The Whyalla man had been visiting Adelaide in June when the stomach pains began.

He decided to visit his GP after returning home on Wednesday June 19.

After conducting a range of tests the doctor thought the pains had something to do with his gallbladder and liver and referred him for an ultrasound.

“When he contacted the radiology clinic, he wasn’t able to get an appointment for over two weeks,” his partner Ally Storr told The Advertiser.

“I tried to get him to go to the hospital that night but he didn’t want to.”

Greg Hollinshed and his partner Ally Storr have been dating for 10 months. Picture: Supplied by family

Eventually Mr Hollinshed, 45, went to Whyalla Hospital on June 22 where a CT confirmed it was not his gallbladder or liver but rather his bowel that had perforated.

“He’d basically been leaking bodily waste into his abdomen for a week,” Ms Storr said.

“They pumped him full of antibiotics to fight off sepsis.

“Later that evening the surgeon came to see him and told him that the perforation was caused by a tumour and that he also had cancerous spots on his liver.

“There was nothing more we could do but wait for the main surgeon to come back Monday and they would decide on treatment with consultation from Adelaide specialists.”

Medical professionals conducted another CT that also confirmed Mr Hollinshed also had cancerous spots on his lungs.

Mr Hollinshed was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.

Greg Hollinshed was eventually diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer. Picture: Supplied by family

“We felt broken,” Ms Storr, who has been with Mr Hollinshed for 10 months after meeting two years ago, said.

“It was still so raw and there was a lot of information and big medical words being thrown at us and it was so hard to think of anything other than (I’m) about to lose my person.

“Our hearts just sank, we both just cried.

“You hear stage four and know it’s bad (you) just can’t help but think the worst, but with the help of the chemo hopefully he’ll still be around for a long time.

“Greg’s a very positive person and still talks about the years he has left, I just hope he’s right.”

Greg Hollinshed and Ally Storr with their dog Chewy before Greg’s surgery. Picture: Supplied by family

Five days after, Mr Hollinshed underwent surgery to remove part of his large bowel, and give him a stoma and colostomy.

“The surgery was supposed to take two to three hours, six hours of me waiting at the hospital, I still hadn’t heard anything,” Ms Storr said.

“It was after hours and there was nobody around to ask questions. I called the hospital only to be told he was still in surgery and they would call me, another half an hour later I called again, in tears, I had been waiting there alone, the whole time.

“It was the longest, sh*ttest day of my life.”

Doctors told Ms Storr that her partner’s surgery was more complicated than they originally thought it would be.

“The tumour had also attached itself to part of his small bowel so they had to remove that and reconnect it as well,” she said.

“He lost 12 kilograms since it all started, to when he finally got home again.”

Mr Hollinshed will need to undergo chemotherapy indefinitely.

“How long is forever? We have no idea,” Ms Storr said.

“They’ll scan him after three months and see how he responds … he’s been told he will never return to work, which is scary as hell financially, with limited access to finances.

“He’s worked in the mines for 17 years and to be told, all of a sudden, that you can’t work anymore, like wow okay, now what does he do with all that spare time.

“(Being) forced into ‘retirement’ at 45 is scary.”

Ms Storr said her partner has so much to live for including his children, granddaughter and family.

“He has such a big heart, anyone who knows him will tell you the same,” she said.

“He’s a tough man and will not give up without a fight.”

If you’d like to donate to Mr Hollinshed, you can here.

Originally published as Holiday meal leads to terminal diagnosis for Whyalla man, Greg Hollinshed and partner Ally Storr left heartbroken