Family man Mitch is diagnosed with Pleural Mesothelioma. His treatment option now is a drug 'Keytruda' – only publicly funded for melanoma
Bay of Plenty
Three years ago life was going well for Mitch, his wife Tania and their young son, Zach. Mitch worked as a Manager in a local engineering company where he had recently been seconded to help prevent further oil spillage from the reef-stranded Rena.
They had just moved into their newly built 2-storey home in Welcome Bay and were enjoying the challenge and hard work of landscaping the grounds. In any spare time, Mitch and his family enjoyed the speedway and his much loved pastime of fishing and diving.
Shortly after their house was completed, Mitch started to notice than when he walked up the stairs, he was unusually short of breath. He booked with his GP who immediately ordered a chest x-ray. The result showed that tissues surrounding Mitch’s left lung had filled with fluid. He was admitted to hospital where a chest drain was inserted. Initial investigations were reassuring that no cancer was evident. A week later, the fluid had built up again and another drain was inserted. Samples of fluid were sent for analysis and a referral was made to a chest physician in Hamilton. The local physician told them it could be malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.
Pleural Mesothelioma is an uncommon, aggressive, incurable asbestos related cancer of the lining surrounding the lungs (pleura). After investigations through previous employers it was confirmed that Mitch was very likely exposed to asbestos while working as a mechanical fitter. He worked on industrial high pressure valves and in and around timber drying kilns in the gas and timber industries where the heat insulation material more than likely contained the asbestos. ACC accepted the claim as a work related illness and assisted by funding the second chemotherapy drug Pemetrexed.
In early December 2013 Mitch underwent painful pleural biopsies via VATS (Video Assisted Thoroscopic Surgery) and visually tissue indicated Pleural Mesothelioma. Along with biopsies, sterile talc was used to “glue” the separated layers of pleura together that kept filling with fluid and causing shortness of breath and lung collapse. This offered some symptomatic relief. After a grueling wait over Christmas for biopsy results to return from Australia, Mesothelioma was eventually confirmed.
Reading about Mesothelioma was a scary time. Average survival can be as little as 10- 16 months. Mitch and Tania set about learning everything they could from specialists and finding out from other sufferers what had been useful in fighting the disease in the hope of significantly extending time and quality of life. In Mitch’s case, surgery and radiotherapy were not indicated. This left chemotherapy (not as a cure but to help slow tumour growth) and putting everything he could into fortifying his immune system.
Mitch and Tania sold their newly built home to buy one without stairs and with an easy-care section. Mitch gave up work due to his illness and to get set about getting things in order for his family. He spends much quality time with his wife Tania and their 14 yr son who shares his love of speedway, hunting and fishing. They also have two older daughters, Becky who lives in Papamoa and Tasha who lives in Australia.
Mitch has now endured x2 rounds of chemotherapy, the second round being given following evidence last year that the cancer was spreading. Mitch continues with IV Vitamin C infusions, a low sugar diet, juicing and a plethora of supplements to strengthening his immune system function. The latest scan showed no new tumour growth but a small increase in fluid levels. Unfortunately there are no more public funded chemotherapy drugs available for Mitch to have.
The treatment we are looking at now (Keytruda) is not publicly funded and could cost $100,000 plus per year. Keytruda is funded for late stage melanoma only and not for pleural mesothelioma...
So what else can they do...?
Tauranga Boys College community wish to help Mitch and his family out... His son Zach is a student here, his sister a staff member, and he is friends with several staff members...
A Quick Update 9 October 2017
Hi all,
Here is a quick update on how Mitch is doing.
Firstly the family would like to thank everyone that has kindly donated so far, this is truly appreciated.
Earlier this year Mitch started his third line of chemotherapy treatment in a private clinic in Auckland. There was no funding available for this treatment so Mitch’s family self-funded this. Mitch finished this treatment in May 2017.
Just months after this Mitch had a scan in August which showed progression of cancer with ascites in his abdomen. This was a huge blow for the family...
Mitch and his family decided to start Keytruda treatment and self-fund this also as it is not government funded yet. The cost of Keytruda is $8100 each treatment, plus $2500 administration costs to have this done in the new private clinic in Mitch’s hometown, Tauranga. Mitch is currently on his second dose of Keytruda.
Mitch has his first grandchild arriving in January so the family is hoping for positive results from his treatment. Mitch will have another scan after his fourth dose of Keytruda.
Mitch and his family will continue to fight this horrible disease and will do anything they can to give Mitch the long life he deserves.
Once again a huge thank you from Mitch’s family for the support and generosity from everyone so far.
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