outline of Dyl's Tale
 

The Scrub Foundation takes all its inspiration from Dylan Shelton, who lived and worked in Bristol, staying there after graduating from UWE in 2019.  He was an illustrator, working in hospitality to support his artistic work as it built a following across the city.  

 

April 2021

Aged 23, Dylan was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma in his right forearm which resulted in his forearm having to be amputated in May 2021.  

 

Summer 2021

Cancer free, he lived life to the full, adapting very quickly to life with one hand, refusing to be labelled with a disablity, shunning aids and finding ways to manage.  He learnt to draw (and do everything) with his left hand.  He partied hard, spending good times with friends, working hard. He started yoga to strengthen his body and mind, and help rebalance after surgery. He was just getting back on his feet when in November a large tumour was found in his lung, it has been missed in an x-ray in August.  This meant that the cancer had now become incurable.  But incurable is not terminal, there were treatment options, there were ways to live with the cancer, there was hope.  

 

Winter 2021/22

Dyl was very sick for six months, enduring rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy until surgery became the only option. In May 2022, one year after he had lost his hand, half of his left lung was removed.  

 

Summer 2022

By June he was officially in remission.  During the winter he had made the decision to give up alcohol and follow a strict vegan/no sugar diet, not an easy decision.  He enjoyed another summer without sickness... travelling, modelling, adapting and taking care of himself, eating well, exercising, building his yoga and meditation practice, gardening. the transition from party loving, playing hard dude was difficult... but he slowly found his way.

 

Winter 2022/23

By November his regular scan showed small tumours back in his lungs - but no real symptoms, he felt well. There were more rounds of a different chemo as an outpatient.  Dyl endured this, taking a studio in Stokes Croft, continuing his illustration work and taking Spanish classes through the dark winter evenings, often plugged into the chemo drugs under his jumper!  Quinn, his beautiful rescue dog arrived!!  He rested when it became too much, balancing his time and needs, trying to listen to his body. By March scans showed the chemo wasn't working.  Still with barely any symptoms he made the decision (with the approval of his medical team) to come off the treadmill of treatment, to stop for a while and explore other ways.  

 

Spring/Summer 2023

For three months we explored possibilities outside the mainstream, including clinics abroad and increasing the complementary and alternative therapies he was receiving.  We got a second opinion from a specialist sarcoma consultant in London. We raised £40,000 to fund these treatments and other life enhancing activities. Some worked in easing stress and worry, helping him feel well ... but many just did not feel right, sarcoma is rare, so is as unproven in alternative therapies as mainstream, and he was learning to trust his gut.  

 

By June Dylan was back in hospital with a recurrence of old debilitating symptoms.  More treatment was prescribed - a repeat of one of the first chemo drugs which had been successful. There was comfort in being back in the care of the medical team and having a plan, but with more knowledge from outside sources and confidence of how the treatment was just part of a bigger picture. 

 

Over the summer of 2023 he had treatments that lasted three days every three weeks.  He stayed well with diet, exercise, gardening and walking his dog. He lived his life, enjoyed his friends, was well, had few side effects.  By November the tumours had shrunk again.  Another reprieve, three months of joy.  

 

Winter 2023/Spring 2024

The winter months were full of friends, and good food and walks and days in front of the telly.  We went on a road trip around Spain and to Lanzarote in January.  But a scan in February revealed that the tumours had started growing again.  We had a plan for a new chemo that was an equivalent of the another drug he had had early on.  The scan report was delayed, so treatment was delayed.  He was just about to start this new cycle when after a deep relaxation mediation on a retreat he was staying at, he lost the feeling in his right hand side, particularly his leg.

 

A week later a 4cm tumour was found on his brain. The symptoms had subsided a bit, he was well in himself.  In the early morning of 11th April 2024, just as we were preparing to talk to the neurosurgeons the next day about proposed surgery, Dyl had a bleed on his brain from the tumour.  He died peacefully 5 hours later, with me at his side.  

 

Dylan wanted to use his experience to inspire and help others.  He was well, healthy and in control of decisions to the end.  The things he did to keep the fear, the pain, the stress at bay I believe helped him to live longer, I hope they can help inspire you to find your own way.  This website tells the full story of the support mechanisms he put in place. I hope you can find inspiration from Dyl's tale to keep living well, not to despair and to advocate for yourself, trust your instincts.... and never to give up hope...

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with all my love

Alex (Dylan's mum)