Jim Rafferty’s Brain Cancer Battle

James Rafferty is a loving husband, father of three, son, brother, and friend. No matter what your relationship is with Jim you know he is the quintessential moral example of a human being. He is genuine, generous and someone who would not hesitate to give you the shirt off his back.

Unfortunately, one year ago, Jim was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer of the worst kind… Glioblastoma (GBM) Grade IV Unmethylated, IDH Wildtype. To make matters worse, this diagnosis comes with a terrible prognosis.

Since being diagnosed, Jim has undergone two Craniotomies, gone through the Standard of Care at MSK cancer center in NYC including radiation and chemotherapy, participated in a trial, received Stereotactic radiosurgery and is currently undergoing two immunotherapies, which we unfortunately just found out are “not working.” All these therapies are covered by their insurance company, but have fallen short of success. However, Jim is a fighter, and as a Navy Veteran, he has handled all of this with that of true military strength, discipline, and commitment.

With the help of his wife, Diana, and her countless hours of research and dedication, he has been doing better than expected and is currently beating the odds. They are leaving no stone unturned in order to prolong his life. This has meant using many alternative medicines and therapies from the US and abroad, incorporating repurposed drugs and supplements, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Ozone Therapy, High Dose IV Vitamin C infusions, Keto for Cancer diet, and several other unconventional and out of the box treatments to slow the progression of this fast moving cancer.

In addition to the therapies, they must also meet with many out of network doctors, therapists and providers, monthly, that are helping and supporting them through this journey.

Unfortunately, these supplemental therapies are not covered by insurance, however, they have already extended his life considerably while also maintaining the quality of his life which has been so important.

If you have had the pleasure of seeing Jim around town, you know what we mean (bike riding, playing basketball, running errands, and supporting his children at their sporting events). So far, this regimen that is slowing the cancer down, is costing approximately $7,000 per month out of pocket. With Jim out of work since September of 2021 and two children in college, you can imagine the immense financial burden the family is under.

There is currently no cure for GBM, however, Diana has found the next two courses of action and that is the reason for this Go-Fund-Me. The Neuro-oncologist is suggesting moving to a potent chemotherapy agent that comes with some very serious and possibly detrimental side effects. Due to the difficulty of getting medications to cross the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB), the healthy cells can incur great harm as the medicines are accelerated to enter the BBB. However, there is an option to receive “SEF” chemo, pronounced SAFE. This SEF chemo is not available in New York and is not covered by insurance. The SEF chemo would allow a greater amount of this important chemotherapy to be administered while protecting the white blood cells, neutrophils, and bone marrow from being harmed. As a result, there will be more white blood cells to fight this aggressive cancer, while the chemotherapy gets to do its job of killing only the cancer cells.

Receiving SEF CHEMO requires travel to California, an extended stay and approximately $75,000 out of pocket expense for treatment, travel, and lodging. One thing we know about this cancer is that it has a great tendency to return. So, while at Berkeley receiving SEF chemo, Diana will be having a personalized Vaccine called the CEGAT made for Jim in Germany. This vaccine showed good success in trial, and even their Neuro Oncologist supports it, but currently there are no trials available for Jim to participate in. However, for a price, a German company will make a vaccine using Jim’s own tumor cells and personalize the vaccine specifically for him.

The costs associated with the vaccine are estimated to be $175k which includes approximately six trips to Germany according to the intervals under which it must be administered. While the cost to save Jim’s life is tremendous, Jim and Diana feel that they cannot put a price on this. But without the help, he has little chance of surviving much longer. They are willing to try anything and everything they can to keep him alive and healthy.

All that being said- Let us help this otherwise healthy 53-year-old, dedicated husband, and amazing father of three obtain the treatment needed to extend his life expectancy or potentially even cure him. Any donations will help cover the costs associated with the SEF chemo and the CEGAT vaccine so Jim can return to good health and enjoy a full life. He is worthy of this opportunity and longs to have normalcy back in his life, which has been completely uprooted since receiving the diagnosis over a year ago.

Jim has a way of touching everyone around him in a positive way and the world is by far a better place with him in it. Let us keep it that way!

Together we can make a difference and we are hopeful about this treatment’s success. As always, prayers are appreciated, and we thank you for any and all support. We are 12 months into the original prognosis of 12 months. Jim has a lot of life left in him, and so much more to share with those around him. Please help us give him that chance.

Sincerely, Jim and Diana Rafferty