Houghton Regis man with skin cancer left unable to walk or work after suffering 'three years of hell'

A man who has been left unable to work or leave the house alone after living with debilitating sores and skin cancer is appealing for help to make ends meet.

Don Logan, 57, from Houghton Regis has had a chronic skin condition since 2020 and was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2022 - and says it has been 'three years of hell'.

The IT consultant has undergone numerous operations, skin grafts and radiotherapy since his diagnosis. Don has lived with Hidradenitis Supperativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin condition, for three years.

He said: "It's a debilitating disease because it just causes you grief. It seeps, it leaks, it’s pretty horrendous.”

After an operation in May, he said: “I was in absolute agony when I woke up. It was so painful. I really haven't been able to walk since.”

Don has now started a GoFundMe page after having reconstructive surgery on his leg earlier this year when surgeons stitched his skin back together. He said: "It's frustrating. For three years I've been out, I've just lost so much income and I can't see when I'm going to be able to go back to work anytime soon.”

The skin cancer diagnosis and HS have taken their toll on both Don’s body and his mind. He said: “I'm not the person I was before the whole thing. I can't walk. I have to use crutches. I don't really get out of the house.”

The sores, which first appeared on his buttocks, spread to his upper legs and groin. Don explained: “These turned out to be quite nasty. They grew and they got bigger and bigger.”

Don has been unable to work or leave his home unaided and has even had to rely on a frame to hold onto when showering.

You can donate to Don’s GoFundMe here – WARNING extremely graphic and upsetting images

Now, Don is hoping that the kindness of strangers will help him find some financial stability as he navigates life with his chronic illness. He said: “I just decided to try and raise some money to try and give me a bit of security. It would be amazing, to be honest, if people could donate to this. It's just a lot of money and it's a long way to go. It would mean the world to me.”

The economy and other factors have piled on the pressure for Don and his wife, who desperately need help. He added: “The interest rates going up caused me grief with the mortgage payments, plus the cost of living, the heating bills and everything else. It's just like everything just exceeds what I have in my savings. I need to do something to try and just give me a little bit of security to allow me to continue to recover and get back to normal.”

After his ordeal, Don has advised anyone with a medical concern to get it checked out: “If you have something which is unusual, as a condition. Make sure you guys see a GP. Don’t put it off, regardless of how embarrassing it is.”