Dad and his melanoma treatment!
6 August 2015Hey everyone, it has taken a while, but now I can update you all about Dad. A lot of heart felt decisions have been made and we have managed to come up with some of our own funding to start Dad's treatment. He was able to have his first treatment today. Dad is feeling relieved and happy to be on his way :)!! His lovely oncologist was happy with his blood test results too, so things are looking really positive at the moment.
Of course this is only the start we know. We will now be using the donations you have given so far and relying on any further generous donations to keep the treatments going. So thank you all for your contributions and support so far! Our family feels very humbled and grateful for your financial help and all the visits, food and kindness shown to him over these past worrisome weeks. Any further donations will continue to help pay for the ongoing costs of treatment. So keep sharing this page and we will keep you updated as he progresses.
Thank you, Beatrice and my family.
Bea and Ali Drury xx
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Hi Guys
Good Luck with your fight. My Dad too has been diagnosed with Melanoma. It’s coming up a year since we got the terrible news that it was terminal. So far it’s been a 2 year battle with some of his Lymph Nodes being removed 12 months prior to this as Melanoma had travelled from his back.
He has been through a course of Ipilimumab, which held the Melanoma at bay but did not show any signs of improvement. He is now on a 3 weekly infusion of Pembrolizumab. The last scan he had showed there had been some reduction on some of his tumors.
He is booked in for another scan in about 4 week’s time (fingers crossed).
It really sucks there is no funding available for this. It’s hard enough to deal with the reality of what is happening without having to also come up with that kind of money.
Jodi xx
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Thank you Jodi and Kirsty for your news about your Dad. It helps to know that Phil/Dad is not alone in this battle and we wish your Dad and family all the best. Phil's oncologist has managed to get him onto the compassionate Pembrolizumab programme doing the 3 weekly cycles like your Dad. Just in time as it has become legal now in the States so won't be available on trial here anymore. We have heard that it has come down in price now that Australia has it there. It really does hurt that melanoma sufferers can't get help with the funding yet but fingers crossed it will come soon. Phil has had one cycle of Pem and they will scan him again after 4 cycles. So like you we hope for some reduction or at least no growth of the cancer. All the best and Arohanui from our family to yours. Bea, Alice, Phil and Eleanor.