Gary’s Brain Tumour Appeal

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THANK YOU EVERYONE AND OUR APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE - Gary Marshall

MY STORY

My name is Gary Marshall I am 54 years old and live in Devon with my wife Michele. I have two daughters, Stephanie and Melissa and my stepson, Shaun.  We also have two lovely Siamese cats called Lilly and Max who constantly court attention which, I have to say is helping me right now because they seem to sense that something is wrong and have become even more affectionate than normal. I am ex Royal Air Force and was also a Fire Fighter with the Lancashire County Fire Brigade and most recently worked as a Sales Manager for a local holiday company.

The Diagnosis

In January 2013 I was diagnosed with a very aggressive malignant brain tumour called a Glioblastoma Multiforme.

The tumour was operated on at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and the neurosurgeon was able to remove approximately 80%.  Apart from having invasive surgery and planned radio and chemotherapy, we have been advised that this will only slow down the growth of the cancer but not cure it.  I have been given a prognosis of approximately 6 - 12 months.

Treatment

Michele has been researching treatments that could possibly help me and during her search came across a story of a British lady called Laura Hymas who was recently diagnosed with the same tumour as I have.  Laura was treated at a clinic in Texas, USA called the Burzynski Clinic and as of August 2012, after treatment,  there was no trace of the tumour at all which is absolutely wonderful news for Laura and her family.

The specialist Cancer treatment (Antineoplastton therapy) is the only centre of its kind. 

Antineoplaston therapy is a complementary/alternative cancer treatment that involves using a group of synthetic chemicals called antineoplastons intended to protect the body from disease.  Proponents claim antineoplaston therapy has been successful in treating many forms of cancer. They claim people with cancer don't have enough naturally occurring antineoplastons and that this therapy replenishes the body's supply, allowing the biochemical defence system of the body to induce cancer cells to stop growing and to develop features that resemble normal cells (cell differentiation).

Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences………...however when the current health service offers you chemo and radio therapy for an already fatal disease essentially they have offered you their best hand and you are left with no choice but to seek out alternative ways to save a life.

Michele has been in touch with the clinic and is arranging to send my medical records out to Dr Burzynski so that he can review them and let us know how they can help us.

Since being diagnosed my world has been turned upside down. The tumour affected the right side of my body and before the operation I was unable to use that side. I was told that although I was going to have the operation I would not be able to regain the use of my arm and leg because the tumour had already damaged that part of my brain. This was something I was not willing to accept and at the moment although I have to get around in a wheelchair I am slowly regaining limited use of my arm and determined to regain the use of my leg.   I have been concentrating hard every day to will my body to work properly again.

How you can help

The diagnosis has hit my family and me completely out of the blue because even as recently as December 2012 I was feeling my normal healthy self. I am determined to beat this and with the strong mental and positive attitude I have along with the love of Michele, my family and friends and now hopefully the Burzynski team, I will be able to.

Unfortunately this treatment is not available on the NHS so we have to pay for it ourselves, the cost (including travel and associated UK costs for private medical care) is approximately £90,000 per year and patients can require anything from 2 to 4 years treatment.

Your kind donations will allow me the chance of returning to a normal life with my family. We are waiting for the go ahead to know exactly how much money will be needed.

On completion of the treatment any funds remaining will be donated to the HeadCase Charity www.headcase.org.uk which funds research into Glioblastoma Multiforme tumours.

We will of course post updates as my treatment progresses so that you are fully aware of how you have helped us.

Thank you everyone for your help and support.

Gary, Michele & family