Oliver Needs Help For Immunotherapy
Donation protected
Hello all.
My name is Oliver and I am 29 years old. I want to share with you a nightmare which has become my reality since Christmas 2017.
2017 was an amazing year, one which made me feel like the luckiest man alive full of love, happiness and prosperity. In August 2017, I proposed to my girlfriend on a beautiful beach in Mexico. We could not wait to get back home to start planning our wedding for the summer of 2019 and to begin building our lives together - blessed, happy and in love.
Our return home soon revealed some difficulties for myself; I felt exhausted all the time, and always in pain. The back pains grew more severe, and despite making trips to my GP (over 6 weeks) I was always turned home with 'muscular pains' - an easy excuse for a fit and active person (which I was). With the pains growing more excruciating, I realised something was not quite right and checked myself into an A&E. I spent a difficult couple of weeks in hospital and remained getting treated for 'muscular pains'. I was even permitted discharge with a referral to see a rheumatologist. I refused to leave. With the doctors and nurses growing exceedingly frustrated with my refusal to go home, one day I collapsed. I count myself very lucky for that fall. Why you ask? Because it finally led to a CT Scan which began my journey to where I am today. With the discovery of 9 fractures and lesions in my spine, the doctors began their examinations in fear of something more sinister...
Diagnosis:
Following further tests and an extremely painful bone marrow biopsy, I was diagnosed with Mutiple Myeloma. A blood cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for producing antibodies. Myeloma is not a curable cancer, though it's considered 'treatable' for a number of years. I am one of the youngest to be diagnosed with MM as its often found in those over 70 years of age. How had my body failed me? Though finally, I had a reason for my pains. No I hadn't done something in the gym, no it wasn't muscular, and I certainly was not lying about the pains.
December 19th will be a day that I will not forget, no matter how hard I want it erased from my mind. I can hear, see and feel it all despite 5 months passing.
Where I'm at now?
I began introductory chemotherapy and inbetween cycles, I underwent two spinal surgeries to 'cement' 5 of my 9 fractures which had left me in a wheelchair unable to walk. Thankfully, the surgeries with the Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon - Shaun Molloy, and his amazing team (Adam Benton in particular!) at The Royal National Orthopaedic, went well. I can now walk with the help of my back brace, athough I have lost a couple inches off my height!
Following a few cycles of chemotherapy, my consultant found that I was not responding to the treatment and my levels were not dropping like the doctors expected. They then put me on an intense 'High Dose' Chemotherapy (VTD PACE) which involves being wired up for a week straight on constant chemo drips, in addition to around 30 pills a day. I am due to go in for a further week of this High Dose treatment in May, and following this we will review how well I have responded. All of this is in preparation for my Stem Cell Transplant(s). As this disease is not curable, the aim is to achieve as long as a remission period as possible. Research shows that this can only be achieved by performing a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, my siblings were not a match and therefore doctors are turning to the National Registers to find me a 10/10 match. Before receiving a donors cells, I am going to have my own cells transplanted back into me once my levels have dropped enough. However, as my body has failed me once, it is likely that the Myeloma will develop again at a fast rate and therefore a donors cells are more likely to take longer to 'catch onto things'. Time. It's all about time, my race against time.
What if..?
I feel blessed to live in a country that has National Health Services that are available to me, however the NHS is limited in what it can offer us. If the plan they have set out for me fails, they will not pay for further treatments or different routes. Some of you may have heard of Immunotherapy - the new "cure". This has been tested on a number of patients and the majority of these patients are now in full remission. Instead of killing every cell in your being, it boosts your immune system to help you fight the cancer cells off. This treatment sounds perfect, but it's not available to me unless I cover the costs myself. As you can imagine this costs a lot of money at a sum of up to £500,000 per patient's treatment.
Treatment is a long, painful and an expensive process. During treatment, my immune system hovers around 5-15% of a healthy person. This means I have had many lifestyle changes to prevent infections (the leading cause of death for MM patients). Despite my body being weak and brittle, I have confronted this battle with inner strength everyday. Meditation and reading mindful books has aided me in keeping my mind strong to prevent my body deteorating any further.
How can you help?
This nightmare has unfortunately placed a huge financial strain on me, with my expenses stacking up I am finding myself struggling to upkeep even general life. I have had to put my life on pause, and this means I have been unable to work since November. These funds will help me with living expenses, but most importantly I want your help for immunotherapy. I don't want to ask for help when it's too late. I can only assure you that no donation is too small. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all. I am blessed to have such an amazing support around me. I will not let any of you down, I can promise you that I will fight this monster with every cell of my being and I will WIN! Please help me beat this disease and get my life back. I will be updating you along my journey.
Oliver.
My name is Oliver and I am 29 years old. I want to share with you a nightmare which has become my reality since Christmas 2017.
2017 was an amazing year, one which made me feel like the luckiest man alive full of love, happiness and prosperity. In August 2017, I proposed to my girlfriend on a beautiful beach in Mexico. We could not wait to get back home to start planning our wedding for the summer of 2019 and to begin building our lives together - blessed, happy and in love.
Our return home soon revealed some difficulties for myself; I felt exhausted all the time, and always in pain. The back pains grew more severe, and despite making trips to my GP (over 6 weeks) I was always turned home with 'muscular pains' - an easy excuse for a fit and active person (which I was). With the pains growing more excruciating, I realised something was not quite right and checked myself into an A&E. I spent a difficult couple of weeks in hospital and remained getting treated for 'muscular pains'. I was even permitted discharge with a referral to see a rheumatologist. I refused to leave. With the doctors and nurses growing exceedingly frustrated with my refusal to go home, one day I collapsed. I count myself very lucky for that fall. Why you ask? Because it finally led to a CT Scan which began my journey to where I am today. With the discovery of 9 fractures and lesions in my spine, the doctors began their examinations in fear of something more sinister...
Diagnosis:
Following further tests and an extremely painful bone marrow biopsy, I was diagnosed with Mutiple Myeloma. A blood cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for producing antibodies. Myeloma is not a curable cancer, though it's considered 'treatable' for a number of years. I am one of the youngest to be diagnosed with MM as its often found in those over 70 years of age. How had my body failed me? Though finally, I had a reason for my pains. No I hadn't done something in the gym, no it wasn't muscular, and I certainly was not lying about the pains.
December 19th will be a day that I will not forget, no matter how hard I want it erased from my mind. I can hear, see and feel it all despite 5 months passing.
Where I'm at now?
I began introductory chemotherapy and inbetween cycles, I underwent two spinal surgeries to 'cement' 5 of my 9 fractures which had left me in a wheelchair unable to walk. Thankfully, the surgeries with the Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon - Shaun Molloy, and his amazing team (Adam Benton in particular!) at The Royal National Orthopaedic, went well. I can now walk with the help of my back brace, athough I have lost a couple inches off my height!
Following a few cycles of chemotherapy, my consultant found that I was not responding to the treatment and my levels were not dropping like the doctors expected. They then put me on an intense 'High Dose' Chemotherapy (VTD PACE) which involves being wired up for a week straight on constant chemo drips, in addition to around 30 pills a day. I am due to go in for a further week of this High Dose treatment in May, and following this we will review how well I have responded. All of this is in preparation for my Stem Cell Transplant(s). As this disease is not curable, the aim is to achieve as long as a remission period as possible. Research shows that this can only be achieved by performing a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, my siblings were not a match and therefore doctors are turning to the National Registers to find me a 10/10 match. Before receiving a donors cells, I am going to have my own cells transplanted back into me once my levels have dropped enough. However, as my body has failed me once, it is likely that the Myeloma will develop again at a fast rate and therefore a donors cells are more likely to take longer to 'catch onto things'. Time. It's all about time, my race against time.
What if..?
I feel blessed to live in a country that has National Health Services that are available to me, however the NHS is limited in what it can offer us. If the plan they have set out for me fails, they will not pay for further treatments or different routes. Some of you may have heard of Immunotherapy - the new "cure". This has been tested on a number of patients and the majority of these patients are now in full remission. Instead of killing every cell in your being, it boosts your immune system to help you fight the cancer cells off. This treatment sounds perfect, but it's not available to me unless I cover the costs myself. As you can imagine this costs a lot of money at a sum of up to £500,000 per patient's treatment.
Treatment is a long, painful and an expensive process. During treatment, my immune system hovers around 5-15% of a healthy person. This means I have had many lifestyle changes to prevent infections (the leading cause of death for MM patients). Despite my body being weak and brittle, I have confronted this battle with inner strength everyday. Meditation and reading mindful books has aided me in keeping my mind strong to prevent my body deteorating any further.
How can you help?
This nightmare has unfortunately placed a huge financial strain on me, with my expenses stacking up I am finding myself struggling to upkeep even general life. I have had to put my life on pause, and this means I have been unable to work since November. These funds will help me with living expenses, but most importantly I want your help for immunotherapy. I don't want to ask for help when it's too late. I can only assure you that no donation is too small. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all. I am blessed to have such an amazing support around me. I will not let any of you down, I can promise you that I will fight this monster with every cell of my being and I will WIN! Please help me beat this disease and get my life back. I will be updating you along my journey.
Oliver.
Organizer
Oliver Famili
Organizer
England
