Tributes to Emergency Medical Technician Dorian Williams who dies from terminal stomach cancer just days after wedding

Tributes have been paid to a much-loved ambulance technician from Swansea who has lost his battle with cancer.

Dorian Williams, an Emergency Medical Technician from Blaen-y-maes, passed away on Wednesday (23 June), just six weeks after his stomach cancer diagnosis, and days after getting married.

The 44-year-old is survived by his new wife Louise, 40, their daughter Natalia, nine, stepchildren Nathan, 19, and Naomi, 18, and week-old grandson Harlo-J.

Jeff Morris, the Trust’s Ambulance Operations Manager for the Swansea Bay University Health Board area, said: “The sudden and sad loss of Dorian is being sorely felt right across the organisation, even by those who had never met him.

“Dorian was not just a skilled clinician for the ambulance service; he was also a training officer for St John Cymru Wales and a suicide first aid trainer, as well as a volunteer counsellor for the Jac Lewis Foundation in Ammanford.

“Essentially, his passion was for helping people – he was a selfless, gentle giant who would do anything for anyone.”

Jason Killens, Chief Executive at the Welsh Ambulance Service, added: “All of us in Team WAST work each day to contribute to the effort of saving lives, but we can never be prepared for when it comes to assisting the ones we are the closest to.

“We extend our thoughts and deepest sympathies to all those who knew Dorian, but in particular his family, friends and colleagues.”

Dorian began to experience symptoms in September, but put his lethargy down to working 12-hours shifts and his indigestion down to eating on the go.

He developed ‘unbearable’ pain for which he took himself to A&E while on shift, and after a series of tests, received the news he had advanced stomach cancer which could not be cured.

Following his diagnosis, Dorian’s friends and colleagues raised £20,000 so that he could marry his fiancée of nearly 11 years, Louise, and the pair wed at Oldwalls Gower on 01 June.

Prior to his death, Dorian, who had worked for the Welsh Ambulance Service for 20 years, and whose brother Ken is Acting Locality Manager in Powys, urged others to be aware of the signs and symptoms.

“I put my tiredness down to working 12-hour shifts and my indigestion down to eating on the move, such is the nature of the role.

“I didn’t even have any pain until the later stages, by which point the cancer had spread.

“My advice to anyone with the same symptoms as I had, or to anyone experiencing unexplained changes to their body, is to visit their GP and get it checked out.”

Stomach cancer Symptoms

Common symptoms include:

• Heartburn or indigestion that does not go away
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Burping a lot
• Feeling full after eating only a small amount

Other possible symptoms are:

• Pain or swelling in the upper tummy area
• Being sick
• Difficulty swallowing
• Black poo (stools)
• Feeling tired or breathless
• Having hiccups a lot

It is important to get any symptoms checked by your GP. Visit the Macmillan Cancer Support website for more information about stomach cancer.