AFTER being diagnosed with cancer just 25 days after the birth of his daughter, Dean Falconer has already faced one battle against cancer.

After facing five rounds of chemotherapy since last March, the Rosyth dad had returned to work in November having gone into remission.

But he received the shattering news on Friday that he is now facing a fresh fight against the disease.

His devastated mum, Lynne Head, has now issued an appeal for stem cell donors and has also organised a fundraising page to help her son overcome financial difficulties because he is now unable to work.

"He has been out the hospital since about September time and is going for bone marrow tests every three months to make sure he is still in remission," she said. "It was the last bone marrow test that was done in February that the results had come back not good and showing something."

Having only received the bad news on Friday, Dean, of Sherbrooke Road, started more chemotherapy at Edinburgh's Western General on Saturday and it is hoped that a stem cell transplant could take place next month in Glasgow.

"The chance of a donor being found is really high because of the type of stem cell he has and I am just desperate to get information out there. People can get tested – you can send away for a swab test or you can contact your doctor.

"You sign up and then you go on a database. We haven't been tested yet as he only got the results on Friday morning."

Lynne said the family have been in shock since finding out they faced another fight.

"He is fighting for his life here – his daughter has just turned one. Wee Maci is pulling him through it. She has pulled him through and he is thinking positive all the time. He needs to.

"Maci was only 25-days-old when he was diagnosed. She spent the first half of her life in hospital, visiting and overnight stays, staying here there and everywhere. Everyone has been mucking round to do what they can.

"He was working at Marine Harvest and has been working there since before he was diagnosed. He was off his work last year and went back in November because he was thinking it was Christmas time and he needed to get money coming in.

"He has been working up until Thursday when he came home from work and got a phone call after work. It has all been so quick. It is a total blow for us all. He has been feeling he is as fit as a fiddle. He has been feeling some symptoms like being a bit more tired but nothing like the last time.

"He wants to still do as much as he can but he knows what is going to be ahead of him."

More details on becoming a stem cell donor can be found at www.dkms.org.uk/en while Lynne's fundraising page can be found at www.facebook.com/donate/318988535461345/2509716505765268.