Terminal Cancer - Funds for life
Donation protected
David sadly passed away on the 15th of October 2014, leaving behind his wife Louise and four children. We send our deepest sympathy to the family. We will keep this page going for awhile in the hope to raise funds for Louise and the kids. Davids last note on this page is below and we would like to see his wishes fullfilled so please keep sharing and donating to help Daves final wishes come true x we miss you Dave x rest in peace x
Personal Note from David:
As a husband & Father, my life's goal has always been to provide for my beautiful wife and children to the best of my ability. While a large number of men have the time, knowledge and physical ability to work until retirement, I ended up with the short end of the straw. In the natural & according to the doctors, I am now in my extra innings as of June 2014. It’s been an amazing, painful journey for me, both physically and emotionally.
I have not been able to work a ‘normal’ 9-5 job for a long time due to illness and fatigue. I am still working hard to stay here with my family for a long time to come, I am definitely not giving up on living and/or trying to survive. What most people won’t understand is the rehabilitation I am going to need when I beat this terrible disease.
I am truly grateful for any donation no matter how big or small, it means so much to us. Please share with as many people as you can so we can lighten the load.
Kindest Regards Thanks David
p.s. please read through my entire story so that you can maybe understand a little of why I am working so hard for my beautiful family.
Overview of Cancer Diagnosis…
August 22nd 2013, the previous 6-8 weeks David was extremely sick, thinking he had a virus of some kind with constant sweating, headaches, extreme muscle pain etc. Finally heading off to the doctor, culminated into my GP telling me I have Stage IV Non Hodgkin Lymphoma.
After working through the initial Chemotherapy, David was informed the poisons did not have the appropriate outcome and had failed. The only other option from there, according to the doctors, was Salvage Chemotherapy. This is a lot stronger than anything I had previously been given, with chances being slim to none of coming out alive. The Haematology Doctors said to say goodbye to his family, come into ICU then, "give it a go and hope for the best”…
Back to the Beginning…
From as early as he can remember, David has had some kind of trouble physically. As a small boy even waking up in the morning was trouble, he would get up with his mouth and eyes all glued together, taking at least 20 minutes to get that all cleared up just to start the day. Until his late 20s, David had continual trouble with Psoriasis, eczema and a heap of other skin conditions that involved pills, creams and potions etc. Having these conditions lent to many doctors visits over the years. Keep in mind that doctors can only regurgitate what they have been taught in their universities. When trying to talk to them about any health alternatives and other ‘remedies’, they just will not talk about it, according to them none of it works.
From the age of about 11, David was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata Universalis, total hair loss across the entire body. The alopecia was the start of the physical outward appearance from whatever was happening inside his body at the time. At about the age of 17, he was diagnosed (mis-diagnosed) with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Followed by Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and who knows what else they through at him during these years. It was all of those doctor prescribed drugs that finally caused the Lymphoma.
September 1996 and David married the love of his life, Louise. At this time he was working as an Extrusion Technician. In 2001, David physically had to stop work as he was hospitalised with severe weight loss; losing over 20kg within a few short weeks. He was tested for Leukaemia, Lymphoma and other types of cancer at this time with all tests and biopsies coming back negative. The doctors were at a total loss, unable to explain what had caused the rapid weight loss, or his decline in health at that time.
Marginally improving, the rapid weight loss and subsequent health decline, had made him weak and unable to work full time. No longer having a normal income; David, Louise and their then two year old baby, Liam, were forced to sell their family home and move in with Louise's parents. Not one to sit around complaining or waiting for something to come to him, he enrolled in TAFE so that he could go to university. After 5 years of juggling family, ongoing health issues, study and more, he finally obtained his Degree in Multimedia, graduating from Griffith University in 2007. Finally things seemed to be looking up and David was then able to secure a full time job utilising his skills in front of a computer and hoping to have a successful career in the IT Industry.
With life finally looking up on the work front, four beautiful children and a loving wife, it looked as though David's health issues had taken a backseat. He had began rehabilitation; cycling and light weightlifting to get back into shape and maintain fitness and health. However, as the months went by, health issues that had plagued him in the past began to resurface and David found himself having to take more and more time off work, due to constant pain in his body.
The late 2000’s, having undergone multiple surgeries, unsuccessful / botched right foot surgery, government cancelled “elective” surgeries. Double knee replacement in January 2013 but due to government budget cuts he will not be getting the operation. It’s further complicated now by the Non Hodgkin Lymphoma. David has been in a wheelchair for quite a few years now and is still waiting on subsequent operations due to complications with the initial operation/reconstruction.
December 2011 saw another change as David woke up one morning blind in his left eye, with a detached retina. Surgery to repair the retina was unsuccessful, he is still blur blind in his left eye. David takes the least amount of doctor prescribed prescription drugs as possible, just to keep the pain levels down. Some of the natural supplements have taken over the synthetic pain killers and dropped his pain levels by as much as 80%…
Admission to hospital on the 22nd of August caused the doctors immediate concern as his body was so inflamed and quickly becoming septic. That night he required emergency surgery on his kidney where a stent was inserted, and over the following days, many more procedures were performed. The most notable of these was the insertion of a tube through his liver and into his gall bladder. David's condition was so precarious at this point, that the doctors operated under local anaesthesia (a drug called Twilight), as there was the strong possibility that David would not survive an operation under general anaesthetic.
In a stable condition once more, and after a fortnight in hospital away from his family, David is now back at home. His ability to work has once again been interfered with as he now battles for his life. After almost 30 years of debilitating health conditions with unexplainable origins, David and his family are back at the start again and need as much support as can be mustered.
David's main goal in life was simply to provide a home, schooling and all the usual things that make life fun or 'normal' for most people. Nothing special just a happy family. As you can see life just has not been “fair” to a lot of people, David is just one of those people who needs our help.
A little from a lot of people will go a long way, please give a little and pass on the link to this page A LOT. I don’t know of any one of David’s friends who would say that he and Louise don’t deserve every penny raised. If you can commit a little each week that would be entirely awesome as well, David’s medical expenses are really quite astronomical and a little goes a long way.
For this reason, please join with us as we support David, Louise and their children (Liam, Ethan, Riley & Tara), while they once again rally together to be courageous in the face of overwhelming odds and adversity.
Personal Note from David:
As a husband & Father, my life's goal has always been to provide for my beautiful wife and children to the best of my ability. While a large number of men have the time, knowledge and physical ability to work until retirement, I ended up with the short end of the straw. In the natural & according to the doctors, I am now in my extra innings as of June 2014. It’s been an amazing, painful journey for me, both physically and emotionally.
I have not been able to work a ‘normal’ 9-5 job for a long time due to illness and fatigue. I am still working hard to stay here with my family for a long time to come, I am definitely not giving up on living and/or trying to survive. What most people won’t understand is the rehabilitation I am going to need when I beat this terrible disease.
I am truly grateful for any donation no matter how big or small, it means so much to us. Please share with as many people as you can so we can lighten the load.
Kindest Regards Thanks David
p.s. please read through my entire story so that you can maybe understand a little of why I am working so hard for my beautiful family.
Overview of Cancer Diagnosis…
August 22nd 2013, the previous 6-8 weeks David was extremely sick, thinking he had a virus of some kind with constant sweating, headaches, extreme muscle pain etc. Finally heading off to the doctor, culminated into my GP telling me I have Stage IV Non Hodgkin Lymphoma.
After working through the initial Chemotherapy, David was informed the poisons did not have the appropriate outcome and had failed. The only other option from there, according to the doctors, was Salvage Chemotherapy. This is a lot stronger than anything I had previously been given, with chances being slim to none of coming out alive. The Haematology Doctors said to say goodbye to his family, come into ICU then, "give it a go and hope for the best”…
Back to the Beginning…
From as early as he can remember, David has had some kind of trouble physically. As a small boy even waking up in the morning was trouble, he would get up with his mouth and eyes all glued together, taking at least 20 minutes to get that all cleared up just to start the day. Until his late 20s, David had continual trouble with Psoriasis, eczema and a heap of other skin conditions that involved pills, creams and potions etc. Having these conditions lent to many doctors visits over the years. Keep in mind that doctors can only regurgitate what they have been taught in their universities. When trying to talk to them about any health alternatives and other ‘remedies’, they just will not talk about it, according to them none of it works.
From the age of about 11, David was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata Universalis, total hair loss across the entire body. The alopecia was the start of the physical outward appearance from whatever was happening inside his body at the time. At about the age of 17, he was diagnosed (mis-diagnosed) with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Followed by Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and who knows what else they through at him during these years. It was all of those doctor prescribed drugs that finally caused the Lymphoma.
September 1996 and David married the love of his life, Louise. At this time he was working as an Extrusion Technician. In 2001, David physically had to stop work as he was hospitalised with severe weight loss; losing over 20kg within a few short weeks. He was tested for Leukaemia, Lymphoma and other types of cancer at this time with all tests and biopsies coming back negative. The doctors were at a total loss, unable to explain what had caused the rapid weight loss, or his decline in health at that time.
Marginally improving, the rapid weight loss and subsequent health decline, had made him weak and unable to work full time. No longer having a normal income; David, Louise and their then two year old baby, Liam, were forced to sell their family home and move in with Louise's parents. Not one to sit around complaining or waiting for something to come to him, he enrolled in TAFE so that he could go to university. After 5 years of juggling family, ongoing health issues, study and more, he finally obtained his Degree in Multimedia, graduating from Griffith University in 2007. Finally things seemed to be looking up and David was then able to secure a full time job utilising his skills in front of a computer and hoping to have a successful career in the IT Industry.
With life finally looking up on the work front, four beautiful children and a loving wife, it looked as though David's health issues had taken a backseat. He had began rehabilitation; cycling and light weightlifting to get back into shape and maintain fitness and health. However, as the months went by, health issues that had plagued him in the past began to resurface and David found himself having to take more and more time off work, due to constant pain in his body.
The late 2000’s, having undergone multiple surgeries, unsuccessful / botched right foot surgery, government cancelled “elective” surgeries. Double knee replacement in January 2013 but due to government budget cuts he will not be getting the operation. It’s further complicated now by the Non Hodgkin Lymphoma. David has been in a wheelchair for quite a few years now and is still waiting on subsequent operations due to complications with the initial operation/reconstruction.
December 2011 saw another change as David woke up one morning blind in his left eye, with a detached retina. Surgery to repair the retina was unsuccessful, he is still blur blind in his left eye. David takes the least amount of doctor prescribed prescription drugs as possible, just to keep the pain levels down. Some of the natural supplements have taken over the synthetic pain killers and dropped his pain levels by as much as 80%…
Admission to hospital on the 22nd of August caused the doctors immediate concern as his body was so inflamed and quickly becoming septic. That night he required emergency surgery on his kidney where a stent was inserted, and over the following days, many more procedures were performed. The most notable of these was the insertion of a tube through his liver and into his gall bladder. David's condition was so precarious at this point, that the doctors operated under local anaesthesia (a drug called Twilight), as there was the strong possibility that David would not survive an operation under general anaesthetic.
In a stable condition once more, and after a fortnight in hospital away from his family, David is now back at home. His ability to work has once again been interfered with as he now battles for his life. After almost 30 years of debilitating health conditions with unexplainable origins, David and his family are back at the start again and need as much support as can be mustered.
David's main goal in life was simply to provide a home, schooling and all the usual things that make life fun or 'normal' for most people. Nothing special just a happy family. As you can see life just has not been “fair” to a lot of people, David is just one of those people who needs our help.
A little from a lot of people will go a long way, please give a little and pass on the link to this page A LOT. I don’t know of any one of David’s friends who would say that he and Louise don’t deserve every penny raised. If you can commit a little each week that would be entirely awesome as well, David’s medical expenses are really quite astronomical and a little goes a long way.
For this reason, please join with us as we support David, Louise and their children (Liam, Ethan, Riley & Tara), while they once again rally together to be courageous in the face of overwhelming odds and adversity.
Organizer
Louise Humphreys
Organizer
