Family and friends celebrate good news for 'Grangemouth Grinch' in his ongoing cancer battle

Kevin Gilbert, 57, was diagnosed with stage three tonsil cancer in April this year and rang the bell – signalling the end of his treatment – in July this year. The owner of KG Plumbing in Grangemouth, Kevin is a well known face in the local area and has had a lot of people fighting in his corner over the last few months.

After receiving some news from Kevin’s doctors, they now have a lot to be thankful for this Christmas.

His wife Hazel Ann, 57, said: “Kevin has put up an amazing fight during the gruelling treatment and, with the support of family and friends, he gave it all he had – doing exactly what his consultant's told him.

"After the fantastic work of the Beatson in Glasgow, combined with Kevin's admirable approach to the treatment, we got a call last week to say his recent scan showed the primary cancer area is now completely clear of cancer.

"We are adjusting to our new life around the permanent side effects of treatment but are so thankful and joyous that for now, Kevin is cancer free and we are looking forward to better things in 2023.”

Earlier this year Hazel Ann told The Falkirk Herald about her husband’s diagnosis.

She said: “Kevin’s never been to the doctors in his life and then he was diagnosed. Originally, we went to Forth Valley and they said it was secondary cancer which was

a bit of a blow because quite often if people are diagnosed with cancer, they say ‘let’s hope it’s not moved to the lymph nodes and let’s hope it’s not spread.

"I thought it was a wee cyst he had and they said ‘no it’s secondary cancer, it’s in the lymph nodes, we need to find the primary cancer. They ran loads of different tests and it was stage three tonsil cancer and he was referred very quickly to the Beatson hospital to start six weeks of treatment.

"He had two cycles of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy every day apart from at weekends. They’re just marvellous.”

Just a matter of months before his cancer diagnosis Kevin suffered a more pleasant shock in December 2021 – and gained a new nickname – when Hazel Ann secretly decorated their home so it resembled Grinchville and then cheekily called her husband the “original Grinch”.

At the time she said: “My husband is truly the original Grinch, so I decided to dedicate our front garden to him. As I said to Kevin, if it makes even one person smile, it will have been worth it.”

Kevin and Hazel Ann’s “gentle giant” of a dog, Teddi, was recently named the Beatson's “Ambassadog” and has been out and about carrying out his official duties.

"We attended The Beatson Santa Dash at Glasgow Green on Sunday,” said Hazel Ann. “When over 4000 Santas took part in this annual fundraiser. Kevin was not fully fit to take part, he was there to cheer me and Teddi on.

“We will continue to raise money for this marvellous charity, which funds vital clinical trials in the fight against cancer.”