Stage III Melanoma - Health Clinic

My name is Philip and I am recently married, in fact, two days before our wedding we found out that I had metastatic Melanoma. Let me back the story up a bit.  I met my wife online.  At the time she was a Filipina, working in Saudi Arabia as a nurse.  In November 2017 Jo agreed to marry me and we began the process of filing the appropriate visa applications.  We received confirmation of Jo's visa acceptance at the beginning of July and doubled our efforts to complete the wedding arrangements.  Towards the end of July 2018 I noticed a large lump under my armpit and decided to see a GP.  The GP examined me and noticed I had swelling near my neck as well as under the armpit and requested a chest x-ray and blood work.  The blood and x-ray redults came back clear, however, the swelling was still present. After a several weeks, I was referred to the Ear, Nose, Throat unit in Shrewsbury Hospital.  The consultant acted quickly and arranged a ultrasound as he suspected Lymphoma.  The ultrasounds scan confirmed there was a suspicious mass in my neck and I was booked in for a biopsy on the mass in my neck.  We waited patiently for the results  and on the 4th of October 2018, 2 days before the wedding, it was confirmed I had cancer, but not lymphoma as originally suspected.  I, in fact, have Melanoma which has spread to my Lymphnodes.  I have since had a CT scan and currently it is believed I am at stage III, which means the cancer has not yet spread beyond the lymphnodes. I will be undergoing immunotherapy in the coming weeks courtesy of the NHS.  So why am I trying to raise money?  Melanoma is a very aggressive and unpredictable cancer.  If the NHS treatment manages to shrink my tumor enough that it could be removed surgically, there is a 50% probability that the cancer will return.  My best hope for living a long life and being able to raise a family with my wife is to build up  my immune system.  I have spent some time studying various promising therapies which are showing promise against melanoma and have decided the Gerson Therapy is my best chance to restore my immune system.  By restoring my immune system my own body will be better equipped to respond to and defeat cancer cells, once the NHS treatment has concluded. The Gerson Therapy will require a 4 week stay at the Northern Baja Gerson Center in Baja Mexico.  During my stay I will received 13 freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices as well as  therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen, anti-cancer herbal teas and daily medical visits.  The treatment will last 3 - 4 weeks at the center and is then continued at home.   Should I be blessed to reach my target, you will be helping my wife and I to fly out to San Diego, where we will be met by a member of clinic and driven to the facility in Baja Mexico.  We will then spend 3 - 4 weeks at the clinic learning about the Gerson Therapy, whilst I undergo treatment. With this treatment my ability to fight cancer and start a family will be greatly increased.  Without your generosity it will be more likely the melanoma will return and could spread to other organs, making treatment more difficult.  The current situation is that my tumor is inoperable, which without treatment gives me a 1 - 2 year life expectancy.  With immunotherapy or targeted B-RAF treatment the doctors hope to shrink my tumor enough that they can operate and extract the remaining tumor.  I am grateful that the NHS now offer these treatments, as a few years ago they may not have been available to me and my prospects more dire.  These treatments are not without their own, potentially life changing side effects and there is still a high chance that the melanoma will return else where in the body.  I am due to start Immunotherapy in a couple of weeks, this will likely be over 2 years.  My hope is that I will be able to raise the funds to attend the the Gerson Treatment Clinic at the end of February or early March 2019. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and thank you for your kindness and generosity.  My wife and I thank you from the depths of our hearts.