Support Paul Murray - Autologous Cancer Cell Immunotherapy

Hi, My name is Caren and my little brother, Paul, is suffering with Oesophageal cancer. My brother has just turned 50, has been living with this for 5.5 years and has a young family who mean the world to him. He needs Autologous Cancer Cell Immunotherapy, which isn't available in the UK on the NHS to enable him to survive. If you are able to donate or share this post to reach a wider audience it would be much appreciated. To enable Paul to get this treatment we need to raise £20,000.

Here is the full story.....

Paul is 50yrs old, married to Vikki for 16 years, with 2 children, Jake 14yrs and Holly 13yrs. When diagnosed, Paul was fit and healthy, working as a Firearms Officer for Hertfordshire Police for over 20 years. He had never smoked, was a social drinker and played football and water polo. This was totally unexpected and came as a massive shock.

Paul has remained positive throughout the last 5.5 years, never giving up hope, and living life to the full, saying yes to everything and making sure the kids never see him in a bad way.

Their journey started -

January 2019 - day before Jakes 9th birthday was diagnosed with Oesophageal Cancer, was told that the treatment would be Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy and then an operation to remove his Oesophagus.

May 2019 – 10 hour Ivor Lewis operation where Pauls Oesophagus and the top part of his stomach was removed. His stomach pulled up to make a new Oesophagus. The tumour was Stage 3 Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma. Paul recovered really well.

We all thought everything would be ok..

September 2020 – started to feel food getting stuck in his throat again. Diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer again. Told only palliative chemotherapy available.

Vikki went away and researched and found that a small percentage of people in the world had gone through a second operation called a colonic interposition. This option was put to Drs and Vikki and Paul went to meet a ‘radical’ surgeon who was willing to give Paul another chance. If Vikki hadn't of done this research Paul would not be with us now.

Paul again went through chemotherapy, and then on 15th February 2021, his 48th birthday, he went through a 12hr operation to remove his ‘new’ oesophagus and his stomach, a piece of his colon was transplanted into his chest to make another new Oesophagus.

Paul again recovered well, and again we all thought Paul and his family could start living life again..

September 2022 – A CT scan showed a cancer legion in Pauls right lung. The cancer had metastasised, which was not good news. Paul had half his right lung removed and again recovered well!

September 2023 – Food started getting stuck again, he misdiagnosed for 6 months, finally being diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer again in February 2024. During an endoscopy Pauls ‘new’ Oesophagus was perforated by Drs, and in turn this gave him sepsis which he nearly died from. He has spent the last few months in and out of hospital with Sepsis and is still on antibiotics.

He still has cancer but can eat as a stent has been fitted, but the NHS will not give any treatment for the cancer until it moves to another area of his body and at that point he will only be given palliative chemo. We don’t want to wait for that to happen!

During the last few years Vikki has researched integrative oncology in depth and Paul has been on protocols including supplements, repurposed drugs, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. They have funded all this treatment themselves from savings and Pauls pension pay out. They have had consultations with various experts in cancer around the world and believe that the Unifontis clinic in Hamberg can help Paul.

The treatment that they propose is a mixture of low dose chemotherapy and a cancer vaccine.

The low dose chemotherapy also called metronomic chemo is not something that the UK supports at this point in time. Currently the NHS want to give you the maximum dose your body weight dictates. This is extremely harsh on the body and a lot of the time ends up being the thing that actually kills you. Low dose chemo is used in America frequently, the advantages are that the body does not become resistant to it and the side effects are minimal. We have had Pauls tumour tested for treatments that will work, and this chemotherapy, is one of those treatments. Paul would take tablets daily and would suffer flu like symptoms at worst. The cost of this treatment is approx. £500 for 2 months.

Autologous Cancer Cell Immunotherapy (CAR-T cell therapy) – Pauls blood will be taken, his tumour cells will be harvested from his blood, his immune cells (T-Cells) will be collected and grown in the lab and then returned to him in the form of an injection to stimulate a tumour specific immune response. We hope that his immune system will start to fight the cancer. This treatment is a one off injection and will cost £19,500.

This treatment could provide a cure, and if not, will at least mean he has more time with his family.

Jake plays for Chelsea FC and has just been picked for England trials, Holly plays netball at a high level, both dream of playing for their country. Paul wants to be around to watch his children grow into young adults and live their dreams. He has been a constant in their lives’, always there to support them in all they do and it is inconceivable for him not to be here for them in the future.

Paul and Vikki have used up a lot of money on integrative treatments so far, and doing a ‘go fund me’ feels very uncomfortable for them but it is the only way that we can get Paul this potential life changing treatment. He is so strong, and Vikki is incredibly proud to be his wife, he has never once complained although he must have gone through so much pain both physically and mentally. He is like a cat with 9 lives and we are not ready to give up yet!

Any help is appreciated more than you’ll ever know