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Brooke's Brave Fight Against Brain Cancer - Join Us in Supporting Brooke and Blake Through Cancer Recovery

  • Brooke's Journey: A Remarkable Update

      31 August 2024
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    Hello family and friends,

    Brooke has now completed three rounds of her immunotherapy treatment with Keytruda and Avastin, each spread over three weeks. Last week, Brooke had an MRI to check how the cancer was responding, and the results were nothing short of miraculous. Everyone was in tears—including the oncologist—when they found out that the tumour has shrunk by about 50% as you can see with her MRI.

    This incredible news has given Brooke a renewed sense of strength and determination. Brooke will continue with this treatment for the foreseeable future, with another MRI planned after several more sessions to monitor progress.

    We cannot express enough how deeply grateful we are for the outpouring of support from friends and family. Your generosity has been a lifeline in helping cover the costs of these treatments, which are not currently funded. However, there is some promising news on the horizon: Pharmac and the government have announced a review of these drugs for funding, which could be a positive step for other Kiwis facing similar battles in the future.

    Thank you all for being a part of this journey.

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  • Help Brooke Access Critical Immunotherapy Keytruda: Your Generosity Matters

      9 July 2024

    Dear family and friends,

    I wanted to share an update on Brooke's journey and the challenges she and Blake are currently facing. Brooke has recently completed her radiation and chemotherapy on June 27th, but the road has been far from easy. She has been in and out of the hospital, dealing with blood clots in her lungs and reduced mobility, which has been incredibly tough on both of them.

    We received some news from the histology and sequencing tests conducted in Australia. Brooke's tumour has a rare mismatched repair gene, which opens up a new avenue for treatment through immunotherapy. It works by tricking the body's immune system into attacking the cancer cells, offering a glimmer of hope for Brooke.

    While this is promising news, the treatment (Keytruda) is unfortunately not funded. Brooke needs to undergo three immunotherapy infusions to assess the tumour's response. These infusions are administered every three weeks through IV, with each session costing a staggering $14,900. The total expected cost for 12 months of treatment is around $95,000. Brooke has already completed the first session, and in about eight weeks, she will have a brain MRI to see how the tumour is responding to this new treatment.

    This situation is placing a tremendous financial strain on them. Any help you can offer to support Blake and Brooke through these enormous costs over the next few months would be deeply appreciated.

    Thank you for your generosity and support during this difficult time.

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  • Update on Brooke and Blake's Journey: A Heartfelt Thank You

      27 May 2024
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    Dear family and friends,

    We are truly overwhelmed by the generosity and support Blake and Brooke have received. We never could have imagined the incredible unity their community has shown in rallying behind Brooke. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your donations.

    I recently received an update from Brooke and Blake, and they wanted to share this message: "We have been overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity and are eternally grateful for all the support. Your kindness has brought us immense relief and hope during this challenging time."

    This week, Brooke had her first consultation with the oncologist, which brought them immense relief. He is a fantastic specialist who provided valuable information on holistic therapies, diet, and additional medications to enhance Brooke’s treatment.

    Brooke will begin her radiation and chemotherapy treatments next week. She will undergo chemotherapy for 5 days each month over the next 6 months. Additionally, she will have MRI and CT scans to monitor her healing and plan her radiation treatment, which will be 5 days a week for 6 weeks.

    Brooke has shown incredible strength and determination. She is doing everything she can as recommended by her oncologist, cutting out caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, and adopting a keto diet.

    Your support has made a significant difference in easing their journey. Thank you for standing by Brooke and Blake during this challenging time.

    With heartfelt gratitude,

    Kristian

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