Help Paul get to Germany for life-saving treatment
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This is our amazing brother Paul with his beautiful 5-year-old son Daniel and wife Kat. A dedicated father, loving husband to Kat, and our mum and dad’s beloved son.
We're reaching out to our family and friends because we need your help with getting Paul to Germany for vital ground-breaking treatment for his brain cancer.
On 28th September 2019, Paul collapsed unexpectedly whilst cooking dinner at home and was rushed to hospital where they carried out numerous blood tests and scans to decipher what was the cause. Following several MRIs and the first of several brain surgeries to remove a mass on the brain, we received the shattering news that Paul has grade 4 brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). With that diagnosis, comes a survival prognosis of 12 months.
As I’m sure most people can imagine, this news came as a huge shock to the whole family and was devastating. The thought of losing our wonderful, caring, funny brother is overwhelming.
We're reaching out to our family and friends because we need your help with getting Paul to Germany for vital ground-breaking treatment for his brain cancer.
On 28th September 2019, Paul collapsed unexpectedly whilst cooking dinner at home and was rushed to hospital where they carried out numerous blood tests and scans to decipher what was the cause. Following several MRIs and the first of several brain surgeries to remove a mass on the brain, we received the shattering news that Paul has grade 4 brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). With that diagnosis, comes a survival prognosis of 12 months.
As I’m sure most people can imagine, this news came as a huge shock to the whole family and was devastating. The thought of losing our wonderful, caring, funny brother is overwhelming.
For the last 2 years, Paul has been tirelessly fighting this aggressive cancer. And it is a fight; three brain surgeries, 31 gruelling sessions of radiotherapy, months and months of chemotherapy, 50 plus tablets a day of repurposed drugs, losing 50% of his vision, collapsed veins due to all the chemotherapies and transfusions, epileptic seizures caused by the tumour cells and the endless number of side effects that come with such a heavy treatment regimen. Then there is the daily mental battle of trying to stay positive against the anxiety of knowing you have cancer, facing the threat of mortality, having to tell your friends and family, devastation, depression, and trying to carry on doing your job, one which you love, while all of this is going on.
Paul keeps fighting. He keeps fighting for his son, so he can continue a happy childhood with his daddy and mummy, and his devoted wife Kat, who has been by his side throughout everything. We are in awe of his strength and bravery, and his determination to continue the job he has loved for the last 25 years as a secondary school science teacher throughout his treatments.
Paul keeps fighting. He keeps fighting for his son, so he can continue a happy childhood with his daddy and mummy, and his devoted wife Kat, who has been by his side throughout everything. We are in awe of his strength and bravery, and his determination to continue the job he has loved for the last 25 years as a secondary school science teacher throughout his treatments.
Paul’s latest round of chemotherapy failed and his latest MRI has shown signs of disease progression. Only a small number of approved treatments are available for the treatment of GBM (due to a lack of research funding and its complex nature), meaning patients are encouraged to enter clinical trials or seek off-label treatments privately. With the current treatment options exhausted, we started the search for newer promising treatments being developed across the globe.
This lead us to investigate a new type of immunotherapy undergoing development in Germany, at a clinic called CeGat— world-leaders in genetic diagnostics and the development of personalised tumour neoantigen-targeted vaccines that have been successfully used in brain cancer patients. Following a consultation with Dr Saskia Biskrup at CeGat and extensive molecular testing, we found out Paul is a good candidate for a vaccine and this offers us great hope. In simple terms, the vaccine works by training Paul’s T-cells (part of the immune system) to identify, attack and destroy the cancer cells. The vaccine alongside the additional treatments Paul is doing will give him a much better chance of beating this thing into remission.
This lead us to investigate a new type of immunotherapy undergoing development in Germany, at a clinic called CeGat— world-leaders in genetic diagnostics and the development of personalised tumour neoantigen-targeted vaccines that have been successfully used in brain cancer patients. Following a consultation with Dr Saskia Biskrup at CeGat and extensive molecular testing, we found out Paul is a good candidate for a vaccine and this offers us great hope. In simple terms, the vaccine works by training Paul’s T-cells (part of the immune system) to identify, attack and destroy the cancer cells. The vaccine alongside the additional treatments Paul is doing will give him a much better chance of beating this thing into remission.
Unfortunately, all this treatment comes at a hefty cost, not only for the treatment itself but Paul and Kat will need to travel to Germany every 6 weeks for a minimum of 12 months. It’s a daunting amount.
Molecular diagnostics: £10,000
Manufacturing of the peptide vaccine: £35,000
Administration of 14 vaccinations: £7,000
Immune response monitoring: £18,000
Intravenous infusions of high-dose ascorbate: £300 per session
Cost of flights to Germany, transport and accommodation every 6 weeks: £1000 per visit
We want to save our brother and are asking for your help in raising the money to fund his treatment and give Paul a chance. We are asking you to donate any money you can, even the smallest amount helps make a difference, and help share this page.
We appreciate you taking the time to read this and anything you can do to help, no matter how big or small.
Thank you.
Louise & Toni
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Organizer and beneficiary
Louise Gardner
Organizer
England
Kathryn Plews
Beneficiary