- M
Your Support is Needed
We are reaching out to you with a heavy heart, but also with hope and determination. Anyone who knows Ian, knows that as well as being a huge Penrith Panthers Supporter, he has always had a deep passion for cars and racing.
Now, Ian is sadly facing the biggest race of his life .......
On 17th March 2025, Ian was diagnosed with Stage 4, Aggressive T3c Colorectal Cancer, a diagnosis that has turned his families world upside down. This Cancer has already metastasized (spread) to various organs, including the liver, lungs, peritoneum and lymph nodes, making it an incredibly challenging and complex journey ahead and Ian has been given a prognosis of 6-7 months to live.
As a Husband to Sarah, Father to Henri and Hollie and Pops to his first Grandchild, 14 month old Revy, Ian is determined not to give up and is ready to fight this with whatever it takes. As a family, we are holding on to hope but need your greatest support as we navigate this extremely difficult road.
The Diagnosis
The primary colorectal cancer is a an invasive T3c tumor. It’s an extremely aggressive form of cancer that has, and continues to grow and spread beyond its original location. This aggressive cancer is not only affecting the colorectal area but has also metastasized to multiple organs and lymph nodes, which complicates treatment greatly.
The Journey So Far
In the past 6 weeks, Ian has undergone many X-rays, Ultrasounds, CT Scans, MRI's, PET Scans and Blood Tests as well as two invasive colonoscopy procedures and two intrusive biopsies.
Ian has already had a procedure to place a chemotherapy port, which is a small, implanted device used to deliver chemotherapy and other medications directly into the bloodstream. This sits under the skin in the chest area and will remain in place throughout Ian's journey.
Chemotherapy
Ian began his chemotherapy treatment last week which is a combination of Oxaliplatin and Fluorouracil, Folfox. The chemotherapy course will be hard and aggressive on Ian and the plan is that he will receive a constant infusion of chemotherapy over a 48 hour period, this will be followed by an 11 day break and then the 48 hour infusion cycle will start again. This will continue until he has received 8 rounds of chemotherapy in total.
During his Chemotherapy treatment, Ian will be at high risk due to his immune system being compromised and his greatest risk will be developing Febrile Neutropenia due to his white blood cell count being so low.
During the last 8 hours of his first chemotherapy round last week, Ian was rushed in to hospital with a suspected heart attack as the result of the harsh treatment he was receiving. He is having constant chest pain and tightness and is losing a great deal of blood. He will remain in hospital until the medical team determine how to treat him and if it is a good idea to alter his chemotherapy cocktail.
The Road Ahead
Cancer has thrown a curveball that none of us were prepared for, but Ian is committed to taking it on and beating it. The road ahead is uncertain and filled with immense challenges for Ian and the family.
Ian will require extensive treatments throughout and will need a section of his Liver removed, intense chemotherapy, radiation and a full colorectal resection. Each treatment plan will come with its own set of challenges, physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.
The Plan Of Action
After many sleepless nights and hours of research we came across a new innovative cancer treatment called Histotripsy. This is a technology that uses ultrasound waves to rupture cancer cells and kill them instantly. This treatment is not offered in Australia yet but is offered at Oroville Hospital, North of Sacramento in California. Dr. Kevin Burns, an interventional radiologist from California, has agreed to take Ian on as a patient to begin Histotripsy treatment urgently. With no time to waste, Ian and Sarah have taken out a loan and were on the plane within 4 weeks, heading to California so that Ian can begin this life changing treatment immediately.
The cost of the treatment alone is $50,000 USD ($80,000 AUD) plus flights and expenses, making the trip closer to $100,000 AUD. Ian's first treatment did not go without complication and his lungs collapsed during the first procedure resulting in tubes and drains needing to be inserted in to his chest wall. However, what they were able treat, worked well and he will need another trip back to California to target the remaining liver metastases.
Dr. Kevin Burns
How You Can Help
We are asking for your help during this incredibly difficult time. Any contribution, big or small, will help cover loss of wages, medical bills, treatment costs, travel for medical appointments, and other essential expenses as we work together to fight this Cancer.
Your support will help ease the financial burden so that Ian can focus on recovery and getting through each day.
We understand that everyone is facing financial hardship right now so if you are not in a position to donate we totally understand but we kindly ask you to share this link to help spread awareness & the need for ongoing cancer research.
In addition, it would be great if you could please sign the petition to make Histotripsy Treatment more accessible in Australia - https://www.change.org/p/establish-histotripsy-treatment-accessibility-in-australia
A Call for Hope
Ian is a fighter, and with your support, we will continue to fight every step of the way. We know that this journey is long and difficult, but we also know that love, kindness, and support from people like you can make all the difference.
Thank you for your generosity, your prayers, and your unwavering belief in the power of hope. Together, we can help Ian overcome this battle and come out stronger on the other side.
With gratitude and hope.
The Price Family
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