A BRAVE cancer patient who has been left blind will learn the results of a crucial brain scan in two days.

Stephen Dobbin, pictured, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year which has damaged his optic nerve.

His right eye is completely closed due to the pressure caused by the growth and he can now only see very little out of his left eye.

Greenock man Stephen will attend an appointment at the Beaston Cancer Care centre in Glasgow on Monday for vital results of a recent MRI scan.

It will provide an insight into whether his tumour is responding to treatment.

But the 49-year-old says his positive attitude to life is helping him face an uncertain future.

He said: “I’m quite an optimistic person — nothing will beat me.

“I just take one day at a time and thank the man up there that I’m still alive.” Stephen was diagnosed last year and was told initially that the tumour wouldn’t affect his sight. But sadly this has not been the case.

He said: “My right eye started drooping and once it closed, I couldn’t see. Then I couldn’t see out very well out of my other eye, and that’s getting worse now.

“I now can’t see colours and I’ve told people if I walk past them to come up and say hello. I don’t want them to think I’m being ignorant — I just cannot see them.” The former Tele vendor suffers from terrible headaches and needs a cocktail of pain relief.

Stephen, of Holmscroft Street, said: “I’m on strong painkillers — I take morphine as and when required. I don’t want to get over- used to it.

“I only take them if the pain in my head becomes really severe.” Stephen has been treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

He has also undergone electrodiagnostic testing at Southern General Hospital in Glasgow to determine the scale of the nerve damage and if it is responding to treatment, with results expected in December. Stephen’s condition has deteriorated so much he now relies on carers seven days a week to get himself showered in the morning.

He said: “It gives me a bit of independence and I know someone is there in case anything happens.” He was also struck by another blow last month — the death of his beloved father Joseph.

He said: “It’s been very difficult losing my dad, I felt eveything was coming on top of each other.

“I have his ashes in my house. I’m still going through the mourning process but I feel he’s with me.” In recognition of the help he’s received from the hospice, Stephen collected donation at his dad’s funeral and handed over a cheque to the charity.

He said: “I want to thank all the girls at the day centre. They were absolutely brilliant, as were the patient transport service for getting me to appointments.”