Man with hiccups was told he had just days to live

DEVASTATED BY DIAGNOSIS OF RARE, AGGRESSIVE DISEASE

- By CHARLOTTE FISHER

A MAN who appeared to have persistent hiccups and heartburn was told he had just days to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Chris Leonard, from Rochdale, was 58 years old when he was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer.

He was diagnosed only weeks after his first symptoms appeared, with his loved ones initially believing he may have had gallstones or hepatitis. Doctors then gave him the devastating diagnosis.

Sam, 51, was with Chris for more than three decades before he tragically died seven months ago. She said: "Everything happened so quickly that it never felt real. We went from thinking he had heartburn to being told he had cancer and then being told he only had days left to live.

"There wasn't time to sit and process any of it because every ounce of energy went into making the most of what time we had left together.

"I remember thinking we still had years ahead of us. We had plans, we were looking forward to retirement, travelling more and seeing what life would bring next. Suddenly all of that disappeared."