A FORMER Barrow footballer turned model has spoken of his life-changing diagnosis with leukaemia and its profound impact on his life.

Joe Jackson, 25, lived the dream of any Barrow youngster when he stepped out onto the pitch at Holker Street in 2012 having progressed through the youth ranks at Burnley.

But, a shock cancer diagnosis put an end to his footballing career just as it was getting off the ground, nearly putting an end to his life as well.

He said: "I can’t explain the feeling of running out that day in a claret shirt, though. It was a fleeting moment, but it didn’t matter one jot. It was everything that I’d worked for since I’d come to Burnley from Furness Rovers, having that dream of becoming a professional footballer from when I’d kick a ball against a street wall in Barrow.

"I was in a bubble of pride at Blackpool [his debut game]. My parents, grandmother and all my friends from Barrow were there, and a couple of Burnley fans even asked for my autograph. I thought, ‘Wow’ this is beyond a dream.

“But the cancer stopped everything."

in 2014 just three years after making his professional debut Mr Jackson was in the Christie, in Manchester, undergoing gruelling treatment to beat his illness.

He said: "When I got the cancer diagnosis I was in Christie Hospital a couple of days later and for the next five weeks I couldn’t leave my room.

“It was the worst time in my life, going through chemotherapy, injections in every part of my body, and losing my hair.

“Then I had terrible headaches, unable to look at the light or the TV.

“They found eight blood clots on my brain and the doctor told me, ‘Joe, the next 12 hours are crucial.’

"It didn’t look great. They kept shining a light in my eyes, which was what happened to my sister because she had a bleed on her brain before she died."

When Mr Jackson was going through the youth system at Burnley, his 14-year-old sister died from a blood disease.

After an incredibly long recovery he was given the all clear in January this year.

After losing his athletic physique as a result of his treatment he was determined to regain what he once had. His efforts paid off and he soon found himself signed to a modelling agency.

Following such an incredibly difficult period of his life, the good news continued for Mr Jackson. With financial support from the Professional Footballers Association, he was able to successfully earn a place to study for a masters in finance at Cass Business School, University of London.

He does however still hold dreams of once again playing for his boyhood club, adding: "It was incredibly special playing for Barrow, my home town, and it still means an awful lot to me. I scored on my debut, at Fleetwood, and I’ll always remember kissing the badge when I netted my first goal at Holker Street.

“And for the first time since my illness I’ve thought about playing football again. I want to enjoy it again, like I did when I was a kid in Barrow, and I’d love to play for them again one day."