Davids Brain Surgery

In 2004 aged 22 David was diagnosed with a rare (3 in 1 million), deep-seated brain tumor called a colloid cyst. This day changed our lives forever.  

It started with acute headaches & sudden short term blindness, which was initially diagnosed as stress, then cluster headaches. Finally after going to see an optician for the headaches, they noticed he had misshapen optic discs and sent him as an emergency to hospital for a C.T scan.

In December 2004,  David had surgery to remove the tumor.  The surgery went well & they told us they removed it all & David was allowed home.Christmas Day, The next day he was rushed back in for another surgery to install a VP Shunt to control the CSF fluid that wasnt drainaging from around his brain properly.

 Everything seemed to go back to normal for a few years after and we thought we were done with that chapter of our lives. But at one of David's routine MRI follow ups, we learnt that it had grown back! We found out that this was due to the surgeon leaving a small amount of the tumor behind. This was because it was attached to the main artery in his brain and too risky to remove.

David was put on 6 month MRI check ups and we slowly watched it grow back. Its now more than double the size it was before the surgery.  Whilst the tumor has now been there for some time,  it will continue expanding, putting pressure on his brain and effecting David's memory, balance and daily attitude.

On bad days, David acts like a completely different person, he's short tempered & suffers with depression. This personality change is caused by the pressure the tumor places on parts of Davids brain. David takes daily Morphine and Other drugs try help with the pain, nausea & depression he feels daily, but that doesn't stop the pain, numb face, tingling hands & face & brain fog. David hasn't been able to work since the start 2018.

The only option we are left with is another surgery. Unfortunately the team at the QE Hospital has decided it is to much of a risk to re operate. Which also means other UK Hospitals won't give the go ahead either.

This is where the GoFund me page and you guys come in.

There is a Surgeon in New York called Mark M. Souweidane, M.D,  who has done this surgery over 170 times.

We would like to arrange a meeting with him to see if he is willing to take on Davids case.  

As we do not have insurance to cover this, we would need to pay for everything ourselves.The initial cost for an appointment £1000. This doesn't include flying to NY or staying for the appointment date. 

If he is willing to take on the case, we will then incur additional appointment costs, pre op & post op and the operation its self, which costs approx £100,000.

We know this seems like a crazy amount of money to be asking for, but if you knew David and felt  what he goes through daily, you would understand why we have gotten to this point.

David just wants his life back & to be able to work again. I just want my happy healthy husband back & our son just wants his dad to be well.

We will of course keep everyone updated with our progress.

Please gift whatever you can afford. 

Thank you. x