- Joined
- Aug 20, 2022
- Messages
- 22,184
- Points
- 113
Man, 30, dies in wife's arms days after last hope treatment for 'shoulder pain'
www.thesun.co.uk
The 30-year-old put down shoulder pain to a gym injury but he was left 'sobbing' at night from the agony
A "BRAVE and handsome" man passed away in the arms of his loving wife just a week after starting a treatment plan that was supposed to save his life.
Alex Able, from Horsted, Chatham, began experiencing pain in his shoulder in September 2023, which he put down to a pulled muscle from over-doing it at the gym.
Sign up for the Health newsletter
8
Alex Able, 30, was diagnosed with a cancer so rare, he was the first adult in the UK to have itCredit: Cover Images
8
Alex passed away in his wife Elle's armsCredit: Cover Images
But over the coming months, the pain became so excruciating it kept him up all night “sobbing” with discomfort.
The family described him as a "tough bloke" who was physically very fit and strong, but the pain left him in agony.
Despite visits to a physiotherapist and chiropractor, Alex’s pain only worsened.
Eventually, he went to Medway Maritime Hospital’s A&E department in November that year, where an MRI scan came back clear.
But by the following year, "he was in more pain than not", according to his mum-in-law Katie Dine.
In February 2024, his mum, Claudia, demanded another scan.
This time, they showed a large tumour in his shoulder, very close to the spinal cord and he was referred to King’s College Hospital in London.
Alex underwent surgery to remove the mass and surgeons were able to cut out 90 per cent of it.
The remaining 10 per cent was deemed too close to the spinal cord to safely remove.
The tumour biopsy was sent off for testing and two weeks later, he received devastating news that sent his and his family's world "crashing down".
Girl, 16, shrugged off symptom that turned out to be sign of 'silent killer' cancer
Alex was told he had a Rhabdoid tumour - a type of cancer very rare in children, and even less common in adults.
There have only ever been 11 cases in adults in Europe, and Alex is understood to be the first adult diagnosed in the UK.
In July this year, his family set up a fundraiser to help with more treatment after his cancer spread, prompting his team at Guys Hospital in London to cease his therapy.
Several medical professionals - including a specialist from Germany - were moved by his story after seeing it shared online and reached out to help create a new treatment plan for him.
8
Alex's condition declined rapidly and he became weaker and weakerCredit: Cover Images
8
His family was given a shred of hope after medical professionals banded together to come up with a novel treatment plan for himCredit: Cover Images
But sadly, after completing the first week, Alex tragically suffered a fatal brain bleed and passed away.
The 30-year-old “quietly slipped away" last month, wrapped in the arms of his loving wife, Elle, and surrounded by his devoted family.
When Alex was diagnosed with a Rhabdoid tumour - a rare and aggressive cancer that begins in the kidneys, brain or spinal cord - he became part of "an exclusive club [no one] would ever want to be in", Katie said, explaining "there was little to no information available" about treating the cancer.
"Extensive gene testing showed there was no hereditary link, no issues with his liver, he was super fit and healthy - unfairly, this was just the worst case of bad luck," she wrote in a GoFundMe.
Within four weeks of undergoing surgery, Alex's tumour had grown back to its original size.
As the tumour was dangerously close to his spinal cord, attached to muscles and nerves controlling his arm movement, Alex had to quit work and driving as he watched his strength and mobility deteriorate.
By April this year, Alex was so weak he had to be carried down the stairs from his flat.
The cancer spread to his lungs and brain and two new growths in his spine caused him to "lose all sensation in his legs".
In July, doctors told the family that there was nothing more they could do to stop the spread of Alex's cancer.
He tragically passed away, just a week after starting a treatment plan that was his last hope.
Katie said: “The day was everything Alex wanted - a beautiful day for a truly beautiful soul.
“We spent the evening sharing stories and memories. The room was filled with nothing but love for a man we all adored.”
Alex was a bike enthusiast, with a passion for Harley-Davidsons, and a huge Metallica fan.
He met his wife Elle in 2019 after speaking online, and the smitten couple fell for each other quickly and deeply.
After their second date, they had “practically moved in together”.
They were engaged within nine months and married within the year, saying ‘I do’ in a small service surrounded by just a few friends in the middle of the pandemic.
“Elle said at the funeral that maybe the reason everything moved so quickly, which was totally out of character for Alex, was because destiny knew that they weren't going to have a lifetime together.”
Before his diagnosis, he, Elle and her parents had plans to move to Shropshire, where her sister, brother-in-law and newborn nephew live.
The couple also had dreams of starting a family of their own and travelling.
Katie said: “We feel like he hasn't had an opportunity to live his life.
"We would have fought to the ends of the earth to give him a chance.
“We all feel cheated by losing him because more could have been done.”
8
Alex and Elle met in 2019Credit: Cover Images
8
They had plans to move to Shropshire and start a familyCredit: Cover Images
Funded by the remaining money raised for his alternative treatment, cabins or lodges will be built, offering visitors in Alex’s position a fully accessible place to stay and heal, free of charge.
Alex’s family stressed that the retreat was never a dying wish, but a project he hoped to establish, run, and use to bring comfort to others.
He told family and friends that while funding specialist research would require more than they could ever raise, he wanted instead to make a tangible difference — for people to see the daily impact of their donations.
Katie said: “When we lost Alex, Elle decided that setting the charity up in his name not only fulfilled his wishes but kept his name and all that made Alex special, alive.”
It is hoped the charity will be able to work in collaboration with hospitals, local hospices, and charities, who might want to refer others to them.
The disease can form in the kidneys, soft tissues or central nervous system.
Rhabdoid tumours usually occur in infants and young children.
A genetic mutation in the SMARCB1 gene causes most rhabdoid tumors.
The SMARCB1 gene is a tumor suppressor gene that makes a protein that helps control cell growth.
A mutation in this gene can cause the rapid growth of tumour cells.
Rarely, a mutation in the SMARCA4 gene, another tumor suppressor gene, causes rhabdoid tumours.
Rhabdoid tumor symptoms depend on a person’s age and the location of the tumour.
Symptoms usually begin near where a tumour is growing and may include nerve paralysis, difficulty breathing or a lump in the belly.
Other symptoms may include:
Katie said: “We will fulfil his dream of relocating to Shropshire, where we will build the kind of place he and Elle so desperately needed but could not access.
“Alex questioned what kind of legacy he would leave behind because he didn't achieve all of the things that he wanted.
“We assured him that he had inspired so many people, and with the Alex Able retreat, he is giving people something that he never had access to.
“Alex wanted to help run it – he armed the family with a list of instructions of things he wanted to include.”
To help fund the project, Elle’s parents plan to sell their home and purchase a piece of land big enough for them to live and set up the retreat.
From there, the charity will fund the guest accommodation and cover the running costs, ensuring visitors can benefit from a break when finances are often tight.
According to his mother-in-law, Alex imagined a nature-based retreat with organic vegetables for welcome boxes, honey from on-site hives, and a studio for painting or meditation, a peaceful space to process a diagnosis, spend time with loved ones, or recover after treatment.
Elle, her family and Alex’s closest friends have pledged to make it their life’s work to ensure
The Alex Able Retreat supports as many people as possible, helping to make a frightening time feel a little easier.
The team, who have volunteered as Trustees, have already submitted registration documents to the Charities Commission.
In the meantime, donations can still be made via Alex’s GoFundMe page, where funds are being safeguarded until the charity is formally registered.
To find out more or donate, follow this link.
8
Alex's family are honouring his legacy bu setting up a charity in his nameCredit: Cover Images
8
They want to keep his name and all that made Alex special, aliveCredit: Cover Images
www.thesun.co.uk
The 30-year-old put down shoulder pain to a gym injury but he was left 'sobbing' at night from the agony
- Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter
- Published: 11:24, 8 Oct 2025
Alex Able, from Horsted, Chatham, began experiencing pain in his shoulder in September 2023, which he put down to a pulled muscle from over-doing it at the gym.
Sign up for the Health newsletter
8
Alex Able, 30, was diagnosed with a cancer so rare, he was the first adult in the UK to have itCredit: Cover Images
8
Alex passed away in his wife Elle's armsCredit: Cover Images
But over the coming months, the pain became so excruciating it kept him up all night “sobbing” with discomfort.
The family described him as a "tough bloke" who was physically very fit and strong, but the pain left him in agony.
Despite visits to a physiotherapist and chiropractor, Alex’s pain only worsened.
Eventually, he went to Medway Maritime Hospital’s A&E department in November that year, where an MRI scan came back clear.
But by the following year, "he was in more pain than not", according to his mum-in-law Katie Dine.
In February 2024, his mum, Claudia, demanded another scan.
This time, they showed a large tumour in his shoulder, very close to the spinal cord and he was referred to King’s College Hospital in London.
Alex underwent surgery to remove the mass and surgeons were able to cut out 90 per cent of it.
The remaining 10 per cent was deemed too close to the spinal cord to safely remove.
The tumour biopsy was sent off for testing and two weeks later, he received devastating news that sent his and his family's world "crashing down".
Alex was told he had a Rhabdoid tumour - a type of cancer very rare in children, and even less common in adults.
There have only ever been 11 cases in adults in Europe, and Alex is understood to be the first adult diagnosed in the UK.
In July this year, his family set up a fundraiser to help with more treatment after his cancer spread, prompting his team at Guys Hospital in London to cease his therapy.
Several medical professionals - including a specialist from Germany - were moved by his story after seeing it shared online and reached out to help create a new treatment plan for him.
8
Alex's condition declined rapidly and he became weaker and weakerCredit: Cover Images
8
His family was given a shred of hope after medical professionals banded together to come up with a novel treatment plan for himCredit: Cover Images
But sadly, after completing the first week, Alex tragically suffered a fatal brain bleed and passed away.
The 30-year-old “quietly slipped away" last month, wrapped in the arms of his loving wife, Elle, and surrounded by his devoted family.
When Alex was diagnosed with a Rhabdoid tumour - a rare and aggressive cancer that begins in the kidneys, brain or spinal cord - he became part of "an exclusive club [no one] would ever want to be in", Katie said, explaining "there was little to no information available" about treating the cancer.
"Extensive gene testing showed there was no hereditary link, no issues with his liver, he was super fit and healthy - unfairly, this was just the worst case of bad luck," she wrote in a GoFundMe.
Within four weeks of undergoing surgery, Alex's tumour had grown back to its original size.
As the tumour was dangerously close to his spinal cord, attached to muscles and nerves controlling his arm movement, Alex had to quit work and driving as he watched his strength and mobility deteriorate.
By April this year, Alex was so weak he had to be carried down the stairs from his flat.
The cancer spread to his lungs and brain and two new growths in his spine caused him to "lose all sensation in his legs".
In July, doctors told the family that there was nothing more they could do to stop the spread of Alex's cancer.
He tragically passed away, just a week after starting a treatment plan that was his last hope.
'A beautiful soul'
Alex's funeral last month was attended by family, friends, work colleagues and schoolmates.Katie said: “The day was everything Alex wanted - a beautiful day for a truly beautiful soul.
“We spent the evening sharing stories and memories. The room was filled with nothing but love for a man we all adored.”
Alex was a bike enthusiast, with a passion for Harley-Davidsons, and a huge Metallica fan.
He met his wife Elle in 2019 after speaking online, and the smitten couple fell for each other quickly and deeply.
After their second date, they had “practically moved in together”.
They were engaged within nine months and married within the year, saying ‘I do’ in a small service surrounded by just a few friends in the middle of the pandemic.
One of Alex’s best friends, Billy, said in a tribute: “Alex was incredibly indecisive - he would agonise over picking out a t-shirt of two virtually identical designs, but when he knew what he wanted, he just went for it.
“Elle said at the funeral that maybe the reason everything moved so quickly, which was totally out of character for Alex, was because destiny knew that they weren't going to have a lifetime together.”
Before his diagnosis, he, Elle and her parents had plans to move to Shropshire, where her sister, brother-in-law and newborn nephew live.
The couple also had dreams of starting a family of their own and travelling.
Katie said: “We feel like he hasn't had an opportunity to live his life.
"We would have fought to the ends of the earth to give him a chance.
“We all feel cheated by losing him because more could have been done.”
8
Alex and Elle met in 2019Credit: Cover Images
8
They had plans to move to Shropshire and start a familyCredit: Cover Images
'Keeping Alex's name alive'
Alex’s legacy lives on with his family, who are planning to honour him by setting up The Alex Able Retreat.Funded by the remaining money raised for his alternative treatment, cabins or lodges will be built, offering visitors in Alex’s position a fully accessible place to stay and heal, free of charge.
Alex’s family stressed that the retreat was never a dying wish, but a project he hoped to establish, run, and use to bring comfort to others.
He told family and friends that while funding specialist research would require more than they could ever raise, he wanted instead to make a tangible difference — for people to see the daily impact of their donations.
Katie said: “When we lost Alex, Elle decided that setting the charity up in his name not only fulfilled his wishes but kept his name and all that made Alex special, alive.”
It is hoped the charity will be able to work in collaboration with hospitals, local hospices, and charities, who might want to refer others to them.
What is a rhabdoid tumour?
A rhabdoid tumour is a rare, fast-growing cancer that tends to develop in children.The disease can form in the kidneys, soft tissues or central nervous system.
Rhabdoid tumours usually occur in infants and young children.
A genetic mutation in the SMARCB1 gene causes most rhabdoid tumors.
The SMARCB1 gene is a tumor suppressor gene that makes a protein that helps control cell growth.
A mutation in this gene can cause the rapid growth of tumour cells.
Rarely, a mutation in the SMARCA4 gene, another tumor suppressor gene, causes rhabdoid tumours.
Rhabdoid tumor symptoms depend on a person’s age and the location of the tumour.
Symptoms usually begin near where a tumour is growing and may include nerve paralysis, difficulty breathing or a lump in the belly.
Other symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Blood in urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Irritability
- Decreased appetite
- Unusual sleepiness
- Increased head size (in infants)
- Loss of balance or trouble walking
Katie said: “We will fulfil his dream of relocating to Shropshire, where we will build the kind of place he and Elle so desperately needed but could not access.
“Alex questioned what kind of legacy he would leave behind because he didn't achieve all of the things that he wanted.
“We assured him that he had inspired so many people, and with the Alex Able retreat, he is giving people something that he never had access to.
“Alex wanted to help run it – he armed the family with a list of instructions of things he wanted to include.”
To help fund the project, Elle’s parents plan to sell their home and purchase a piece of land big enough for them to live and set up the retreat.
From there, the charity will fund the guest accommodation and cover the running costs, ensuring visitors can benefit from a break when finances are often tight.
According to his mother-in-law, Alex imagined a nature-based retreat with organic vegetables for welcome boxes, honey from on-site hives, and a studio for painting or meditation, a peaceful space to process a diagnosis, spend time with loved ones, or recover after treatment.
Elle, her family and Alex’s closest friends have pledged to make it their life’s work to ensure
The Alex Able Retreat supports as many people as possible, helping to make a frightening time feel a little easier.
The team, who have volunteered as Trustees, have already submitted registration documents to the Charities Commission.
In the meantime, donations can still be made via Alex’s GoFundMe page, where funds are being safeguarded until the charity is formally registered.
To find out more or donate, follow this link.
8
Alex's family are honouring his legacy bu setting up a charity in his nameCredit: Cover Images
8
They want to keep his name and all that made Alex special, aliveCredit: Cover Images
