Dean Flinn, a 41-year-old father of two from Lydiate, was forced to cut short a family holiday in Turkey after tests revealed his cancer had returned and spread. He had been diagnosed with tonsil cancer in October 2024 following a persistent sore throat that lasted around six to eight weeks.
Initially, his GP reassured him there was no cause for concern, but after seeking a second opinion through his private healthcare, further tests were carried out. During October half term, Dean was on a two-week holiday in Turkey with his wife Sarah, 35, their children Theo, eight, and Ella, six, and his sister-in-law Amy Newsham, 33, also from Lydiate, when he received a phone call telling him he needed to return home for further tests.
Holiday interrupted by urgent phone calls
Amy told the ECHO: "We were away with the whole family and we didn't really have any answers at this point they just said they wanted to investigate a bit further." Five days into the holiday, Dean flew home to have a scan before returning to the holiday, but three days before they were due to fly home, he received another phone call.
Amy said: "They said to him that they would like to see him in the clinic as soon as he gets back. So as you can imagine Dean was sat watching his two little kids in the pool thinking the worst, basically." After the family pushed for some indication of what the tests had revealed, Dean was told over the phone that the results were cancerous and he needed to attend an appointment as soon as he returned.
Amy said: "He was absolutely devastated. We all were absolutely devastated. We were just in utter shock because Dean just went to see his GP because he had a sore throat. Cancer wasn't even something he thought it could be."
Treatment and brief relief
After arriving home, Dean underwent months of intensive chemotherapy alongside radiotherapy. In spring 2025, the family thought they had reached the end of a devastating chapter when Dean completed his treatment and rang the bell. Theo and Ella joined him for the milestone, wearing t-shirts bearing the words, 'You did it Daddy'.
Amy said: "He was so strong and positive throughout that he was going to beat it. He did absolutely amazing. When he rang the bell, we all thought that was the end of it and that was the last time we were going to see cancer." But the relief was short-lived after Dean was offered a full-body MRI scan in December 2025 as part of a clinical trial, which revealed the cancer had returned and spread to his neck and lung.
Cancer spreads despite surgery
Amy said: "We were told it was a treatable cancer, so we had high hopes that it was going to go away and he was going to be ok." Dean went on to have major surgery to remove the cancer in his neck but was left unable to swallow or eat food.
Amy said: "Eating is a massive thing. It's everyday life and even the social side of things, so it's had a massive effect on Dean and the family. He lost so much weight. His sleep is disturbed every night because he's choking on his own spit because he can't swallow."
Dean also began immunotherapy, but further devastating news followed when he started experiencing dizziness, collapsing, and paralysis down one side of his face. A visible lump appeared along his jawline and, after further scans and a biopsy, doctors discovered the cancer had grown rapidly. It had spread up the back of his skull, wrapped around his carotid artery and returned in his neck.
Family faces new challenges
Doctors planned to begin another course of chemotherapy, but Dean developed an infection which meant treatment had to be delayed. He has now spent almost four weeks in hospital at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Amy said the delay had been another crushing blow for Dean, who was desperate to begin treatment. She said: "He just wanted to get the treatments. He was desperate to get chemotherapy because he wants to be here for his kids."
Away from hospital, his wife Sarah has been trying to keep life as normal as possible for their children while supporting her husband through the ordeal. The couple, who have been together for more than 10 years, married in May this year. Amy said Dean had always been a hands-on dad, involved in every aspect of Theo and Ella's lives, from school pickups to their activities.
Amy said: "Dean was a dad who was involved in absolutely every aspect of the kids' lives. He did everything, every activity, every school pick-up. There was a massive change. The kids are aware and understand small amounts, but not to the extent where we'd want to scare them. We want to protect them."
Sarah, who works as a pharmacist in a hospital, has remained by Dean's side throughout his treatment while also trying to be there for their children. Amy said the emotional toll on her sister had been immense. She said: "Sarah has tried to remain positive the last two years. Every hurdle they've faced, they've overcome and been strong. She's fought with him and been at his side every minute of every day. But behind closed doors, we see as a family where she's a broken mum and a broken wife. She's hurt for her whole family. She thinks, 'Why are their kids going to go through something like this?' They've got such a loving dad, and they don't deserve this."
Fundraiser launched for treatment options
Now Amy has launched a fundraiser to help the family explore further treatment options and give Dean, his wife Sarah and their two young children the chance to make precious memories together. The appeal has already raised more than £30,000, with thousands of people rallying around the family.
Amy said: "The GoFundMe page is basically to help explore alternative treatment options, if there are any available to Dean. Sarah made an appointment with a professor down at the Royal Marsden in London to explore some alternative treatments and see what Dean's options are but unfortunately with him being in hospital they've had to cancel it because Dean was too unwell to travel. But they've been strong, they've been hopeful. They've been like, 'We're going to do this, let's crack on, let's keep going.' I think this GoFundMe page will just give them that bit of hope again when all other hope was lost. The support they've had so far is absolutely amazing. He's got two small children, he's got a lovely family, a young family with so much life left to give and to live. We're such a close-knit family, so It's just absolutely devastating."
