Liverpool IT entrepreneur James Hamilton is flying high with his fast-growing business Halcyon but it was a major cancer scare that reignited his zest for life and business. Tony McDonough reports
In 2019 James Hamilton was focused on building his Liverpool-based IT venture Halcyon – and he admits health and wellbeing weren’t his top priority.
But by the end of 2022 his own body started giving him signs that all might not be well. He found a growth in his lower back after experiencing pain. Multiple visits to medics over that year didn’t solve the issue.
“I knew something was wrong,” said James. “But the doctors kept dismissing my concerns. They just told me it was a cyst. But it wouldn’t go away.”
However, in autumn 2022 things took a dramatic turn. While he was playing in a rugby match the cyst suddenly “popped”. James added: “There was so much blood they had to stop the game.”
In October 2022 the growth was now the size of a golf ball but doctors still suspected it was a harmless cyst. James underwent a private biopsy and he hoped this would offer good news and bring the saga to an end.
But shocking news was to come on Christmas Eve 2022 James attended what he thought would be a routine post-op check-up. He was told he had what’s called a clear cell sarcoma (CCS).
Often affecting young adults, CCS is a soft tissue cancer that can appear in a number of different parts of the body. It gets its name from the fact that the cells of the tumour look clear under a microscope. This led to major surgery on the NHS in February 2023.
James said: “I was gobsmacked. This was Christmas Eve and like everyone I was looking forward to enjoying the holiday period. At first it was difficult to take in. You think ‘I’m too young for this, there must be a mistake’. In February I underwent surgery on the NHS.
“This time the full scale of the problem was clear. The surgeon removed a mass the size of a melon from my lower back. It was a relief they had finally got to the bottom of it but in the hours after my operation nagging fears remained.”
Luckily for James the surgery was a success and he didn’t even require any chemotherapy or radiotherapy. And although the cause was not known, James took his ordeal as a warning sign.
“When you are young you can get into the mindset of thinking you are invincible,” he explained. “But out of nowhere your body can offer you a stark reminder of your own mortality.
“I wanted to be well and live for many years, not just for myself, but for my daughter Olivia who was just seven when I received the CCS diagnosis. I want to be there for her and see her grow up.
“We didn’t hide my illness from Olivia and her strength and resilience just blew me away. She watched me go through the treatment and even helped change my dressings but just took it all in her stride. She was my rock and I’m so proud of her.”
In the days and months that followed James drastically changed his lifestyle. In fact he completed the final three miles of a 28-mile charity walk for MacMillan Cancer just three days after his surgery – from The Royal Hospital to The Royal Liver Building – where Nathan Quarless and Natasha Jonas supported him.
In just 16 months he underwent an incredible transformation. He enrolled at Hyrox gym and dropped around seven stone in weight – from 20 stone eight pounds to 13 stone eight pounds.
James said: “This new active lifestyle didn’t just transform my health and wellbeing it also helped me in my business. I had more energy and a sharper focus. My mood improved and I felt really motivated.”
In October James told LBN how Halcyon, which is based close to Liverpool waterfront, was enjoying a period of accelerated growth as it closed in on a landmark £1m-a-year turnover.
He leads a seven-strong team which provides a range of outsourced IT services to more than 120 clients. James’s co-director, Tom Woods started as an apprentice at the firm just five years ago.
Halcyon is also expanding overseas with the opening of an office in Dubai. Revenues are up 13% in the current financial year and James is targeting a 30% growth rate over the next couple of years.
“We have a good spread of clients,” he said. “They range in turnover from £500,000 to £28m with headcounts from five to 115 staff. Our team works hard to understand a client’s business so we can tailor our support to their needs.
“IT can have a bit of a mystique to it and I think a big part of what we do is providing systems and services to our clients that are easy to use and understand. They trust us and that is important. One client has been with us for 15 years.”
In summer this year James suffered two further scares but in October he received good news when got the two-year all-clear from medics. He will have another check in February, two years after the big operation, and then every three months after.
Now he says his motivation to make the most of all aspects of his life, while remaining focused on his wellbeing, remains as strong as ever.
This year James signed up for five Hyrox events (Birmingham in October, Paris in November, London in December, Manchester in January and Warsaw in April).
He will also take part in a half marathon in Dubai in February to raise money for North West Cancer Research. His target is to raise £5,000 by October 2025. He has already raised more than £2,000.
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Although committed to the business in Liverpool, Dubai will play an increasingly important role in his life going forward. He is looking to take a 10% stake in a health and rejuvenation company out there.
He explained: “In Dubai it is considered standard to invest time and money in your own health, wellbeing and personal development.
“It is also an incredibly safe and family-orientated place and somewhere where everyone encourages others to do well. I like that philosophy and I want to be a part of it.”
And his number one priority is Olivia. He added: “Despite being such a young age she was there for me at my lowest point. Now I want to return that love by showing her the world and offering her amazing experiences and the best life possible.”