Ricky's support fund
Donation protected
My name is Renee and my Dad, Ricky, is the man in the photo with his three year old granddaughter Madison. Dad (who lived in Mollymook NSW) was diagnosed with stage IV Melanoma Cancer in early January 2016. The primary being on his hip, lungs, liver and spine and more recently a metastatic tumour on his brain. Dad passed away peacefully at Milton Ulladulla Hospital on 16 March 2017, surrounded by loved ones.
I am asking for your help via donations to help me and my siblings out with the costs for Dad’s funeral (Dad tried to plan ahead and took out funeral insurance in June 2016, but it will be invalid because of their 12 month policy) and help towards living costs etc for my sister Chloe, and brother Jarrod who had taken leave without pay to be by Dad’s side during his final days.
Dad was first diagnosed with melanoma cancer to his left hip in late October/November 2014. He had surgery to remove the tumour on 8 December 2014, and during this surgery, he had 64 lymph nodes removed. His surgical team were confident that they got the tumour out successfully. They were so very wrong.
In late 2015, Dad had further scans done as he just had a 'gut feeling' that things weren't right, and as per usual he was right! On 25 January 2016, Dad commenced on a clinical trial that was run by Dr Alex Menzies at the Melanoma Institute in North Sydney.
As Dad has no partner (my parents have been divorced since I was a child), no family or close friends in Mollymook to assist him, he chose Chloe to be his main carer, medical support and next of kin. For a long period he has been unable to drive and has needed frequent visits, assistance with attending medical appointments and day to day activities and physical and emotional support throughout his illness. Chloe would travel with Dad to all his appointments.
In July 2016, Dad transferred his care to Dr Morteza Aghmesheh at the Shoalhaven Cancer Care Centre. In October 2016, Dr Aghmesheh advised that the clinical trial was unsuccessful and that it had spread more throughout the body.
In November 2016, Dad met with Dr Aghmesheh in the Wollongong Hospital as he was deemed an eligible candidate to participate in a more extensive clinical trial (MASTERKEY 265 using Keytrude and T-Vec) which meant that travel was required every week to Wollongong and sometimes twice a week.
On 17 January 2017, Dad was rushed to the Shoalhaven Hospital in Nowra, NSW as the lesion on his hip had burst and it was then discovered that he had tumour lysis syndrome as a result of the T-Vec drug being injected into the tumour on the hip. Dad was transferred to the Milton Ulladulla Hospital later that same day where he remained in hospital until 26 January 2017 and was discharged under the Hospital in the Home Program (HIHP).
On 28 January 2017, a HIHP Nurse visited Dad and advised that Dad needed to be readmitted into hospital because of the severe headache he was experiencing. As the Milton Ulladulla Hospital does not have any advanced screening machines, Dad was transferred to the Shoalhaven Hospital to undergo a CT scan. It was discovered through this scan that Dad had a 2.5cm brain lesion and there was a slight bleed inside the lesion (this is common with melanoma cancers). Dr Aghmesheh advised that Dad would be suitable to undergo radiation treatment and would meet with a Dr Frederick Ho on 14 February 2017 to discuss a planning session. Dad remained in hospital until 3 February 2017.
On 12 February 2017, Dad was readmitted into the Milton Ulladulla Hospital as his headache had become more severe and he was experiencing double vision. On 14 February 2017, Dad was transported back up to the Shoalhaven Hospital where he and Chloe met with Dr Ho and was advised that they cannot provide any further treatment so his doctors will now just work on managing his pain and symptoms to make him comfortable until he passes.
Dad had remained in hospital since then. After discussions with the Palliative Care team and his treating medical doctor, we were advised that Dad will live the last of his days in Milton-Ulladulla Hospital. He is deteriorating rapidly so they are just making him as comfortable and pain free as they can. It is heartbreaking that is has reached the point where he does not know where he is, who we are (he keeps calling Chloe our Mum's name or confusing her for a nurse) and has lost all mobility on the left side of his body. A syringe driver device has been installed to provide him with a constant supply of pain and nausea relief which is reassessed every day to determine whether more is needed.
As a family, we met with the palliative care team on 23 February 2017 to discuss Dad’s condition and they informed us that as Dad is relatively young and strong, it is hard to give a time period of when he will eventually pass, but it is likely to be soon.
As I have a young family, Chloe and Jarrod have both taken leave without pay from their jobs to be with Dad every day, as Dad does not have any family living close by to him.
It is because of this that we seek your help. Any donation you can make, big or small would be greatly appreciated. This would help us during the hardest time of our lives to ease the burden of how we can pay for everything now he has passed and also help Chloe and Jarrod with living expenses.
This photo was taken on Christmas Eve 2015 - the first Christmas Dad got to spend with all 4 of his children, and his son-in-law and granddaughter.
I am asking for your help via donations to help me and my siblings out with the costs for Dad’s funeral (Dad tried to plan ahead and took out funeral insurance in June 2016, but it will be invalid because of their 12 month policy) and help towards living costs etc for my sister Chloe, and brother Jarrod who had taken leave without pay to be by Dad’s side during his final days.
Dad was first diagnosed with melanoma cancer to his left hip in late October/November 2014. He had surgery to remove the tumour on 8 December 2014, and during this surgery, he had 64 lymph nodes removed. His surgical team were confident that they got the tumour out successfully. They were so very wrong.
In late 2015, Dad had further scans done as he just had a 'gut feeling' that things weren't right, and as per usual he was right! On 25 January 2016, Dad commenced on a clinical trial that was run by Dr Alex Menzies at the Melanoma Institute in North Sydney.
As Dad has no partner (my parents have been divorced since I was a child), no family or close friends in Mollymook to assist him, he chose Chloe to be his main carer, medical support and next of kin. For a long period he has been unable to drive and has needed frequent visits, assistance with attending medical appointments and day to day activities and physical and emotional support throughout his illness. Chloe would travel with Dad to all his appointments.
In July 2016, Dad transferred his care to Dr Morteza Aghmesheh at the Shoalhaven Cancer Care Centre. In October 2016, Dr Aghmesheh advised that the clinical trial was unsuccessful and that it had spread more throughout the body.
In November 2016, Dad met with Dr Aghmesheh in the Wollongong Hospital as he was deemed an eligible candidate to participate in a more extensive clinical trial (MASTERKEY 265 using Keytrude and T-Vec) which meant that travel was required every week to Wollongong and sometimes twice a week.
On 17 January 2017, Dad was rushed to the Shoalhaven Hospital in Nowra, NSW as the lesion on his hip had burst and it was then discovered that he had tumour lysis syndrome as a result of the T-Vec drug being injected into the tumour on the hip. Dad was transferred to the Milton Ulladulla Hospital later that same day where he remained in hospital until 26 January 2017 and was discharged under the Hospital in the Home Program (HIHP).
On 28 January 2017, a HIHP Nurse visited Dad and advised that Dad needed to be readmitted into hospital because of the severe headache he was experiencing. As the Milton Ulladulla Hospital does not have any advanced screening machines, Dad was transferred to the Shoalhaven Hospital to undergo a CT scan. It was discovered through this scan that Dad had a 2.5cm brain lesion and there was a slight bleed inside the lesion (this is common with melanoma cancers). Dr Aghmesheh advised that Dad would be suitable to undergo radiation treatment and would meet with a Dr Frederick Ho on 14 February 2017 to discuss a planning session. Dad remained in hospital until 3 February 2017.
On 12 February 2017, Dad was readmitted into the Milton Ulladulla Hospital as his headache had become more severe and he was experiencing double vision. On 14 February 2017, Dad was transported back up to the Shoalhaven Hospital where he and Chloe met with Dr Ho and was advised that they cannot provide any further treatment so his doctors will now just work on managing his pain and symptoms to make him comfortable until he passes.
Dad had remained in hospital since then. After discussions with the Palliative Care team and his treating medical doctor, we were advised that Dad will live the last of his days in Milton-Ulladulla Hospital. He is deteriorating rapidly so they are just making him as comfortable and pain free as they can. It is heartbreaking that is has reached the point where he does not know where he is, who we are (he keeps calling Chloe our Mum's name or confusing her for a nurse) and has lost all mobility on the left side of his body. A syringe driver device has been installed to provide him with a constant supply of pain and nausea relief which is reassessed every day to determine whether more is needed.
As a family, we met with the palliative care team on 23 February 2017 to discuss Dad’s condition and they informed us that as Dad is relatively young and strong, it is hard to give a time period of when he will eventually pass, but it is likely to be soon.
As I have a young family, Chloe and Jarrod have both taken leave without pay from their jobs to be with Dad every day, as Dad does not have any family living close by to him.
It is because of this that we seek your help. Any donation you can make, big or small would be greatly appreciated. This would help us during the hardest time of our lives to ease the burden of how we can pay for everything now he has passed and also help Chloe and Jarrod with living expenses.
This photo was taken on Christmas Eve 2015 - the first Christmas Dad got to spend with all 4 of his children, and his son-in-law and granddaughter.Organizer
Renee Spinks
Organizer
Conder, ACT