'I said it couldn't be true, it's the sort of thing you see on a Channel 5 film'

A dad could have less than 12 months left to live after being diagnosed with incurable liver cancer following an eye test.

Michael Sixsmith, 61, was given the devastating news after visiting his opticians for new glasses back in September 2023. The dad-of-three booked an appointment after noticing watching TV gave him headaches.

During his eye test, it was discovered Michael had a cataract on his right eye and he was referred to an eye hospital to correct it. A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye which can cause blurred vision.

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Michael, who lives in Edenfield, just north of Ramsbottom, attended his appointment and learned his cataract was not too bad – but medics did spot something suspicious on his scan.

Further tests revealed it to be a non-aggressive uveal melanoma, a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the eye.

Children’s entertainer Michael, who DJs, performs at birthday parties and teaches 1950s rock ‘n’ roll jive dancing, was sent for surgery to remove it.

With the operation a success, the dad was told he would need to return for scans every six months as a precautionary measure. This was because there was a chance the melanoma could spread to his liver.

Six months later, Michael booked himself in for an ultrasound on his liver and his worst fears were realised. The cancer had spread to his liver – and it was now incurable.

“I wish they’d said three months,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “Because within six months I was diagnosed with cancer. There were five melanomas growing in my liver.

“Me and my wife both burst into tears. I told my doctor it couldn’t be true because it’s the sort