Fiancée pays tribute to much-loved Portsmouth partner who died of rare cancer as she plans charity wing-walk

Becky Darby, of Southsea, said life has not been the same since Callum Lynch passed away at the age of 29. He battled against Insulinoma, an aggressive rare form of endocrine tumours cancer, for four-and-a-half years before passing on November 23, 2023. Today (May 31) would have been his 30th birthday.

“It just got to a point where it was too much for him,” Ms Darby told The News. “He had symptoms everyday, even when he wasn’t being treated. We knew it was coming but we didn’t expect it. I had such hope. We had our wedding planned and I had to cancel it. We were buying a new home, which was cancelled. It was just a lot. It’s still very raw as you can imagine. I don’t think it’ll ever feel real, it’s just hard.”

Ms Darby said Callum’s Insulinoma would cause him to have hypoglycaemic reactions as his blood sugar levels crashed to dangerously low levels, similar to a diabetic but much worse. The condition affected his everyday life, and he had to deal with daily symptoms. Ms Darby said it sometimes made her feel helpless.

“It was so dangerous that he lost his quality of life towards the end,” the real estate agent added. “He spent two months in hospital before passing away, and he was constantly having to be hooked up to a glucose drip to keep him alive. His doctors and oncologists said ‘we’ll just have to try what we can, as we don’t know how to attack this cancer because it’s so rare’.

“It affects the body in so many different ways, and it was in so many different parts of his body that it just took over, and unfortunately, that’s what happened.” Callum’s funeral was held on December 11, with loved ones, teachers and medical professionals filling the church. “Everyone just loved him”, Ms Darby said, “you couldn’t get more people in the church.”

Callum regularly took part in fundraising activities for good causes, with him and his friends banding together to organise a charity football match in 2022 to raise funds for the Rowans Hospice. Over £5,000 was gathered following “overwhelming support” from people and businesses.

Ms Darby is following in his footsteps, alongside Callum’s best friend Ben Rudkin, by raising money for Insulinoma Charity UK, an organisation which specifically researches the rare form of cancer in a bid to find a cure. She will be strapped to a plane which will fly around Henstridge Aerodrome in Somerset on July 27, reaching speeds of 120mph and flying upside down.

Ms Darby said the goal for the fundraiser is £2,500. “It’s really important we raise as much as we can for them, because there’s nothing else like them out there,” she added. “Callum’s cancer was so rare that no one knew what to do and it was a guessing game as to what treatment would work.” Callum’s family and close friends are getting matching Harry Potter tattoos for his birthday, as he was a huge fan.

They will then visit his bench at Manor Farm, Bursledon. A balloon release will be held the following day. Ms Darby added: “Hopefully with this charity we can find a cure, or at least raise awareness as no one really knows about it.” Donations can be made online via JustGiving.