Rex Parsons – The will not to give up

Rex Parsons tells us how thanks to his wife’s determination and research, he got further treatment for metastatic melanoma after being told there was nothing more to be done.

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Rex Parsons (76) lives in KwaZulu-Natal with his wife, Jean. They have three daughters and two grandsons. 

Diagnosis in 1990

Rex was first diagnosed with malignant melanoma 35 years ago, in 1990, after consulting with a doctor as he had a sore on his back. “The melanoma was removed surgically. I had years of treatment; a self-administered retroviral injection every two days, prescribed by my oncologist,” he says.

Twenty-two years later

Fast-forward to 22 years later, in March 2012, when after a camping trip, Rex experienced a terrible cough and his wife, Jean, found blood in his hanky. 

“We immediately sought medical advice and after an X-ray, I was sent to hospital for scans and a mass was found on my left lung. This was surgically removed with the lower lobe of my lung and I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma,” Rex explains. 

Three months later, in June 2012, Jean pleaded with Rex to have a soft tissue scan which he did. Unfortunately, a new mass was found on the upper part of his liver. This was also surgically removed. Rex started oral chemotherapy and retroviral injections in September 2012. About nine months into this treatment regimen, another scan found a new mass at the back of his liver. This too was surgically removed.

He had CT and PET scans every six months during 2012 to 2015 thereafter once a year until 2024.

Nothing else to be done

In 2015, a lesion was found on the heart lining and removed. “I was told chemotherapy wasn’t working and there was nothing else they could do. During this time, I also had nodules removed from my oesophagus,” Rex says. 

A determined wife

Jean was researching cancer treatment and chatting to Rex’s sister, who is a doctor in the USA, and they found a trial that was about to start in SA for the drug, ipilimumab, an immunotherapy. They contacted the oncology centre and Rex was one of three advanced melanoma patients to go on this trial from 2015 to 2016. Rex jokes, “We were known as the million-dollar men by the oncology staff and we called the unit, our lounge.”

The drug trial was a success and Rex hasn’t needed further treatment.

Side effects

Rex explains that his side effects consisted of fatigue, diarrhoea, depression, sore hands and feet, loss of weight, and appetite. “I went from 74kg down to 48kg. Thankfully, I’m now steady at 64kg.”

Prostate cancer 

In 2023, Rex was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He underwent brachytherapy, radiation as well as hormone therapy and thankfully this cancer is in the all-clear. Though, he still battles with diarrhoea and acid reflux.

Sun smart

Rex admits when he was young he loved the sun. “I was a young blond boy and today realise the damage I did when sun tanning, using olive oil, and getting badly sunburnt.”

Today he tries to stay out of the sun though being a green keeper at a golf course, it’s difficult. “I’m kitted out with hats and protective clothing and use sunscreen.” 

The will to not give up

Rex adds that he puts his survival down to the will not to give up, positive mental attitude, the will to survive, and, most of all, his wife’s strength and backing throughout all his treatments. “Without Jean I’m sure I would have thrown in the towel.”

Laurelle Williams is the Editor at Word for Word Media and graduated from AFDA with a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Live Performance. She have a love for storytelling and sharing emotions through the power of words. Her aim is to educate, encourage and most of all show there is always hope. Write me: [email protected]

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