Louis Tomlinson’s dad battling cancer 18 months after singer's mum died from leukaemia
LOUIS TOMLINSON’S father Troy Austin is battling liver cancer and underwent a four hour operation to remove a tumour which he hopes will save his life. The sad news comes 18 months after the singer’s mother passed away from leukaemia.
Former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson’s dad Troy Austin has been diagnosed with cancer more than a year after his mum Johanna Deakin died from leukaemia.
Blood tests revealed Troy, 49, had the cancerous tumour on his liver which he put down to years of heavy drinking and smoking.
He said: “I believe my tumour was down to drinking and smoking. I can’t blame it on anything else.
“Each day I was smoking up to 25 cigarettes and drinking six to eight cans of Tyskie, a Polish lager.”
“Some days I wouldn’t eat at all but would just drink and smoke,” he added.
“I would drink to celebrate the good times and drink to cope with the bad. Whatever life threw at me I would drink.”
Troy, who split from Johanna when Louis was just one-week-old, had surgery to remove a tumour and is hoping the operation can prolong his life.
Speaking about his diagnoses in an interview with The Sun, he explained: “I am just so happy that I was diagnosed early.
“The crazy thing is I didn't have any symptoms.
“I went to the doctor about something else and just had this idea of asking about blood tests.”
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’ve been crying tears of joy because I feel so lucky to have been given a second chance
He continued: "Early diagnosis is everything. I’ve been crying tears of joy because I feel so lucky to have been given a second chance.
“If just one person also gets a second chance by reading this then it will all have been worthwhile.”
In 2016, Louis lost his mum Johanna to leukaemia and just days after performed his debut solo song Just Hold On at the X Factor final.
Simon Cowell was moved by his performance and told Louis: “I have to say something to you. I’ve known you now for six years.
“What you’ve just done and the bravery, I respect you as an artist, I respect you as a person.”
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Simon continued: “Your mum was so proud of you Louis and she was so looking forward to tonight. She’s watching down on you now and you’ve done her proud.”
At the time Louis said his mum wanted him to sing at the X Factor, he told Observer Magazine: “I remember saying to her: 'Mum, how the f*** do you expect me to do this now?'
“And she didn't swear much, my mum. She'd always tell me off for swearing.
“And this time she was like: 'You've got to f***ing do it, it's as simple as that.'"
Louis found fame as one fifth of the pop group One Direction.