A dad-of-three has launched a fundraising bid to fight his cancer after being told he has just months to live.

Derek Allen, of Easington Lane, near Houghton-le-Spring, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma - a form of blood cancer - in February 2019 after experiencing chest pains.

The 41-year-old was told his cancer could be treated, but not cured and was left stunned by the news that he would die.

He has since gone through five separate chemotherapy treatments and a stem cell transplant in his battle. And he is determined to fight on and receive the specialist treatment he needs.

He was initially given a life expectancy of seven years but treatments haven't worked and he now only has months to live.

Now he and his loving family have launched a 300,000 fundraising bid for specialist treatment in America

He said: "When I was first told about the blood cancer it felt like I had the rug pulled from underneath me.

"I'm a hardworking family man and I've always worked all week to provide for my family.

"I was frightened and scared, and I was trying to hold it together but my wife was crying. I was trying my best to be brave for her, but once I came out the room my head was full of so many questions.

Derek admits he is still coming to terms with his life drastically being cut short after receiving the shocking news.

He said: "I was relishing the treatment and said 'I'm going to prove everybody wrong and get through it all', but I've failed at every chance so far."

The dad-of-three, who works in steel fabrication and owns a window cleaning business, said he visited the doctor in early 2019 after repeated chest pains first experienced the year before.

He said: "One day at my nephew's wedding I had a sharp electrical pain in my ribs and I wasn't sure what it was.

"I thought it was down to the manual heavy labour work I did, and I felt like I was getting better, but weeks later it came back.

"I knew then it was time to go to the doctors and get it checked out."

After an initial x-ray Derek was rushed back to hospital for an emergency CT scan, which identified the multiple myeloma.

And he admits he has been fighting a constant battle since then after repeated setbacks with his treatment.

He added: "I've recently received results of a PET scan and they show new areas of medullary disease."

His attempts to gain access to clinical trials have been unsuccessful due to legislation and the NHS are unable to fund anymore treatment for him.

Now he sees specialist treatment in the United States as his last chance saloon.

Grandad Derek, who has been supported by his wife Catherine and three children Morgan 22, James 20 and Grace, 15, has so far raised over 8,000 for CAR-T therapy in the United States.

The diagnosis has also seen him value his life and family time a lot more, especially with grandson, Kayden, three, knowing that one day the cancer will defeat him.

"The news was hard for the kids initially but they're starting to come to terms with it," he said.

Hundreds of family, friends and strangers have donated to the fundraiser in a bid to support Derek.

He added: "I've been through all this and I haven't shed a tear in the last two years.

"But I get too emotional when I look at the fundraiser page. It's amazing to see the generosity."

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Desperate 300,000 bid to save Easington Lane dad-of-three fighting cancer - Chronicle Live