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<div>Ross's story has already raised £200k+, thanks to you. Here's what your continued support makes possible.
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<div>The target amount covers Ross's BRAF treatment alongside his ongoing chemotherapy the baseline needed to keep this option open for at least a year.
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<div>Anything raised beyond that goes towards:
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<li>Extending the targeted medication.
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<li>Supporting therapies and nutrition to help Ross get through advanced chemotherapy with the best possible quality of life.
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<li>Skincare and body care to manage the painful rashes his new medication causes, plus other products and services that help him cope with the side effects and get through each day.
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<li>Additional treatment options as they become possible (Ross's tumours need to shrink enough to make these viable) including cancer ablation, further surgery, and invitations to trials and meetings with teams across the country developing bowel cancer treatments.
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<div>Put simply, this funding is what allows Ross to keep going through the next twelve months. Treatment at this intensity touches every part of daily life, and "support" means the practical things that keep him standing.
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<div>Right now, we cover our everyday living costs from our salaries. Ross has already reduced his working hours, and Matt is still working full time. But this is an unpredictable illness. If Ross's health deteriorates, or Matt needs to step back from work to care for him full time, we may need to use some of these funds to keep our lives stable through treatment.
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<div>This is a long fight, not a short one, and every pound beyond the target extends what we can do for Ross's future. If you have already given, thank you. If you are able to give again or share this page further, it directly extends Ross's options and his time.
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<div>Hi, my name is Matt and I am fundraising for my husband Ross.
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<div>Just two months ago, Ross was a fit, healthy 43 year old, living life to the full. Nothing could have prepared Ross, or his friends and family, for how suddenly and devastatingly our lives were about to change.
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<div>After finding a lump on his neck and experiencing stomach pain, Ross was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. By the time it was discovered, the cancer had already spread from his bowel to his liver, lymph nodes, lung and spleen. Since then, everything has happened at such speed that we are still struggling to comprehend it.
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<div>After going in for his stoma operation, a huge, life changing procedure, Ross was hoping to be home within a few days to recover and prepare to start chemotherapy. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Due to the size of Ross's tumour in his bowel, the strain it had placed on his liver caused his bilirubin and liver function to become dangerously abnormal. At that point, Ross was told that chemotherapy was no longer possible and was told to consider end of life care.
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<div>However, thanks to Ross's incredible strength, the outstanding surgical team at the hospital, and two more major procedures, Ross's bilirubin levels began to fall. After his bilirubin dropped from 290 to 130, his wonderful oncology team said it might be possible to attempt chemotherapy at 60% of the normal dose, but at great risk.
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<div>Regardless of the honest warning that the chemotherapy itself could potentially kill him, Ross made the incredibly brave decision to go ahead and begin treatment. We are so incredibly grateful that he did.
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<div>Ross made it through his first round of chemotherapy. His bilirubin continued to fall and his determination to keep fighting never changed. After four procedures, two blood infections, sepsis, and four long weeks in hospital, Ross started his second round of chemotherapy with his bilirubin levels almost back within the normal range, and he is still smiling.
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<div>After further genetic testing, we found out that Ross's cancer carries a mutation called BRAF V600E that causes bowel cancer to behave particularly aggressively. But discovering this also opened the door to a new targeted treatment designed specifically for cancers with this mutation.
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<div>A clinical trial called BREAKWATER examined the addition of two targeted cancer medicines, encorafenib and cetuximab, alongside chemotherapy for people with Ross's specific type of cancer. The results have given us genuine hope that combining these medicines with his chemotherapy could significantly improve how well his cancer responds, potentially increasing the odds from 40% to 70%.
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<div>Ross, and all of us who love him, understand that no treatment can make promises. But we now have a treatment option that gives us hope. Our aim is that this combination can shrink Ross's tumours enough to make further treatment, and potentially surgery, possible, giving Ross the best opportunity for an extension of life. For the first time since his diagnosis, we have a glimmer of hope for a future beyond stage 4 cancer.
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<div>Ross's additional treatment is only available privately at this time, and could cost up to £9,000 a month. We do not have the time or resources to raise these funds alone, so we are asking for your help to give Ross the strongest possible chance: to access every available treatment, create new possibilities, and keep fighting for the future he deserves.
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<div>Any donation, no matter the amount, will mean more to us than we can express. If you are unable to donate, sharing this page could be just as powerful and may help it reach someone who can.
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<div>Thank you for reading Ross's story, for standing beside us, and for helping us fight for his future.
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<div>With all our love and gratitude, Matt, Ross and everyone who loves him x
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Sophie Bloomfield

James Dillon

Anonymous

Hannah Willis

Mei Bao Ying

Mat Szmanda

Donna Dear

Gregor Hägele

Geoff Morrison

Lori Ogilvie

Maren Epstein

Debbie Clarke

Alexandru Rotaru

katrina wheeler

Sam Dawson

Help Ross access critical cancer treatment

Help Ross access critical cancer treatment

Still £51,288 to go. Help us build momentum.