A 39-year-old dad-of-four has been given the “crushing” news he has just 18 months to live as the cancer he hoped he had defeated has returned and spread.

The community has rallied to support Matt Jones following the devastating diagnosis, which has left him fearing his youngest children will “not even remember me when I’m gone”.

The painter and decorator, from High Halden, near Ashford, was first diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in 2023 after collapsing at home.

He had most of his large bowel removed and endured six months of chemotherapy before being told he was in remission in March last year.

But in December he was told the cancer was back, with a recent scan showing it has spread to his liver, leaving surgery no longer an option.

"At first, I just felt empty,” he said, recalling the heartbreaking moment doctors told him there was nothing more they could do.

“When I was first told the cancer had returned in December, I broke down, but this time, it was just numbness.

“My wife and I just sat there, trying to process it. It’s crushing, especially when I can have days where I feel almost normal.”

Matt and his wife, Nicki, have four children together—twins Esme and Isla, 20 months, Isabelle, five, and William, eight.

The couple have yet to break news of their dad’s latest prognosis to the eldest two.

"We’re trying to find the right time,” Matt explained

“They know I’ve been unwell, but we haven’t told them everything yet. We just want to keep things as normal as possible for them.

“My worst fear in all of this is knowing the twins will not even remember me when I’m gone. It’s such a hard thought.”

The twins were born just weeks before Matt’s initial diagnosis, making the past two years an incredibly challenging time for the family.

To make matters harder, Nicki has also faced serious health battles of her own.

In 2022, she underwent surgery for a glioma brain tumour and requires regular scans to monitor for any recurrence.

"We’ve been through so much already. It’s been one thing after another,” Matt added.

“When Nicki was in hospital with the twins after they were born, I started experiencing severe pain.

“I ended up having emergency surgery because I had a blockage in my bowel that was life-threatening.

“That’s when we found out it was cancer.”

After months of treatment, the family had hoped they had put the worst behind them.

But by September 2024, Matt began experiencing symptoms again.

Blood tests showed his tumour markers had increased dramatically, and in December scans revealed the cancer had returned and spread.

"I started chemotherapy again straight away, and in January I was told I’d been accepted for surgery in Basingstoke,” Matt said.

“But before going ahead, they wanted to check my liver again because there were some suspicious findings.

“That’s when we got the latest news that it had spread, and surgery was no longer an option."

Despite everything, Matt is determined to focus on making memories with his family.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Jones family enjoy special moments together, and more than £2,000 has already been raised.

"The amount of love and support we’ve had from the community has been overwhelming,” he said.

“There are raffles, golf days, and fundraising events happening—I can’t keep up with it all.

“It really does mean the world to us.”

Matt, who is originally from Tenterden, says they have been blown away by the kindness of friends, family and even strangers who have rallied to support them.

He added: "I don’t know how we’ve got through it all, but somehow we have.

“Right now, I’m just focusing on making the most of the time I have left and spending it with the people I love.”