Newlywed's Terminal Cancer Diagnosis

Team fundraiser

Alexandra Gilles and Rebecca Giles are organizing this fundraiser.

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UPDATE NOVEMBER 2021: Please see the latest post in the update section.

In September 2021, 37-year-old Brendan was diagnosed terminal cancer - specifically, stage IV metastatic cancer, primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum, with metastasis to the peritoneal cavity.

A rare and very, very unlucky progression of his illness.

Brendan's prognosis is variable, but his Oncologist has stated that his life expectancy is likely less than 24 months.

This fundraiser is being set up to:

Support the exploration of surgeries that could extend Brendan's life, as well as associated travel/accomodation expenses.
Contribute to the costs of IVF, so Brendan can fulfil his dream of becoming a father and meeting his child.
Support Brendan and his wife Alex financially, as both have lost their incomes due to illness and caring responsibilities.
Ongoing support for Brendan's family.

Less than two years ago, Brendan and his fiancé Alexandra were planning their future and a family together.

In January 2020, the couple (along with their two cats) moved from Sydney to their mortgaged home in the Hunter Valley. They soon re-homed a sweet, adult dog and continued to plan their upcoming wedding.

Like many couples who planned weddings in 2020, Brendan and Alex had their plans destroyed by COVID-19 and lost thousands of hard-saved dollars in cancellations. This was made more difficult with inconsistent employment contributing to financial stress.

But they held their heads high and opted for a simpler, intimate ceremony in front of their family and closest friends on 17 October 2020.

Two months prior to their wedding, the couple experienced a pregnancy miscarriage which had life-threatening complications for Alex, who spent numerous nights in ICU.

Brendan has always wanted to be a father and the miscarriage absolutely shattered him. Both shed tears on their wedding day, reflecting their recent struggles and sharing their hopes for brighter days to come.

In April 2021, Brendan presented to emergency with severe abdominal pain. It was suspected that he had a bowel obstruction, or was simply severely constipated - so he was sent home.

When the pain persisted, he returned to hospital and was admitted for emergency surgery. Just when the newlyweds thought they were approaching the rainbow at the end of the storm, Brendan was diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer.

In a matter of 5 months, even with radiation and chemotherapy, his diagnosis is now classified as terminal. The cancer has spread to his peritoneal cavity, which is has been deemed inoperable by his current surgeon.

As this is being written, Brendan is in hospital being fed through a PICC line with TPN, in the hope he can recover enough be discharged and start making decisions about palliative treatment. Alex is now Brendan's full-time carer. Additional support from family and friends is currently limited by COVID-19 restrictions.

While Brendan's cancer has been deemed inoperable, the couple are aware of certain surgeries and trials (such as HIPEC surgery), which may work to extend his life. This could involve travelling in between cities, out of state, or even overseas.

Brendan and Alex have always wanted to be parents. When Brendan was first diagnosed with cancer, they decided to have sperm frozen to eventually be able to undertake IVF. Now with a stage IV diagnosis, they are wanting to speed things up, but this would involve a significant cost outlay.

Brendan wants to be a dad and have the chance to meet his child.