Reaching out for life-saving cancer therapy

Hi, my name is John Greengrass and on the 11th October 2023 my life changed completely when I found out I had "the terminator" of brain cancers, a Glioblastoma stage 4 brain tumour (GBM).

GBM is very aggressive and has an average survival rate of less than a year, but some patients are able to win the battle if they can afford treatment options overseas that aren’t currently offered by the NHS.

I'm determined to try everything I can to beat this thing and to help broaden the treatment options available for others in the future, which is why my wife, children and I are fundraising to pursue ground-breaking treatment both in the UK and abroad (some of which has been approved by the NHS but won’t be available here until next year, which sadly is too long for me to wait).

Thank you for stopping by this page to read my story (more detail below) and for any help or support that you may be able to offer my family and me as we embark on a series of fundraising challenges and medical treatments. Please share this page with your friends and family - the more people that see it, the better chance we have of reaching our goal.

A bit about me

I’m a husband to my wonderful wife Susan and a proud dad to my two children Jennifer and Michael. I live in Ingatestone, Essex and I love daily walks with my wife, regular golf matches with friends and have been known to make a mean marmalade… but I’ve always lived a healthy life with balanced meals, regular exercise and spending as much time with loved ones as I can.

What is Glioblastoma (GBM)?

Glioblastomas are grade 4 brain tumours. They’re characterized by rapid growth, invasiveness into surrounding brain tissue, and a high tendency to recur and mutate. Only 25 percent of patients survive more than one year, and only 5 percent of patients survive more than five years under the current standard of care.

My diagnosis and treatment journey so far

My family first noticed the symptoms when I started taking longer to walk and talk than usual. Fortunately my daughter insisted for me to get myself checked, and after lots of hospital appointments and tests, I got the diagnosis that I had a Glioblastoma.

On the 24th October I had surgery from the NHS to remove as much of the tumour as possible. Due to the severity of GBM, I had the surgery within 1 week of diagnosis, but cancer that’s spread to the rest of my brain still needs treatment. The standard of care plan from the NHS following surgery involves Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy which I’m due to start from mid November 2023.

We’ve had conversations with leading doctors and nurses, researchers and charities both in the UK and globally to understand the right cancer-specific treatment for me and my cancer. It’s increasingly clear that if I am to stand any chance against this disease that I need to pursue alternative immunotherapy treatments in addition to the radiotherapy and chemotherapy provided by the NHS.

What are the alternative treatment trials?

We’re still in the early stages of understanding which treatments will be most effective for my specific type of cancer. (An example of one non-invasive option is to wear a head device for 18 hours a day that uses wave-like electric Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) to interfere with the division of the cancer cells.)

Nearly all options require some level of funding, from accommodation costs for staying near treatment centres to funding the treatment itself.

How are we fundraising money?

With the help and kindness of family and friends, a number of fundraising events and challenges are planned to raise awareness and increase donations. These include a Sponsored Walk around London, a Comedy Night, a Battle of the Bands night and Community Quiz and Auction. If you’d like to support any of these events please get in touch.