North Carolina dad and two sons receive same heartbreaking cancer diagnosis

North Carolina brothers Preston and Parker Jackson were both diagnosed with the same devastating pancreatic cancer as their father, Wayne Jackson, within just a few weeks of each other in 2016.

In 2014, Wayne was diagnosed with MEN-1, an inherited disease that increases the chances of over-activity and enlargement of certain endocrine glands. Doctors then found 12 cancerous pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in his body.

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Shortly after, Preston and Parker tested positive for MEN-1. Within two years, tumors were discovered on both brothers’ pancreases.

“I did a lot of crying and a lot of praying,” Preston and Parker’s mother, Sharon Sechriest told People. “It’s hard for me to swallow that both of my kids and their father have cancer, but I tell them that they will get through it and be fine.”

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The three men “face the diagnosis together” as they share experiences while dealing with the same doctors, symptoms, and feelings while going through cancer.

“When I’m by myself and I think about it, it hurts,” Wayne, 46, said. “I know it’s not my fault, because I had no idea I had this condition until a few years ago, but to see the boys suffering and going through the same things I do – I feel a sense of guilt.”

Parker, 18, is a high school student in Forest City, North Carolina and Preston, 21, is a business major at UNC Charlotte. Parker’s tumors were discovered in February of 2016 and Preston’s were found merely six weeks later.

When Preston found out Parker had cancer, he was so upset he wished cancer upon himself so that his brother would not have to deal with it alone.

“That’s brotherly love if I ever heard of it,” she said. “It seems God answered his prayer.”