4 weeks ago, my oncologist told me that I have only 6 WEEKS to live. I have Metastatic Melanoma in my brain.
On Sep 10th 2015 - My daughter's birthday, I received the devastating news that I have terminal brain cancer. The MRI showed at least 6 melanoma tumours in my brain, and as there are already too many and they are too deep in my brain, there is no option to operate.
My family and I are looking at every available option now to give us more time together.
There is a new drug called Pembrolizumab which costs around $56,000 for the first 12 weeks worth of treatment which may add 6-12 months onto my life, if I am lucky. Hopefully I will last this long. Then I will have to see if it is working and then continue if more funding can be obtained.
I have already had 2 large melanomas that were removed from my shoulder & under my arm 3 months ago. They took out all my lymph nodes and this has now healed, but they hadn't detected the cancer it was too late.
Now is the time for a hard and (hopefully) long fight with this one.
I am starting with Intravenous Vitamin C injections to hopefully slow down the growth of the tumours, which will cost about $20,000.
I am also trying a few natural products that have seen amazing results... We are going to try everything!
But this will also cost $3-4,000 plus a lot of running around and I am currently unemployed with no income...
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far, this means everything to my family and myself.
UPDATE: We are currently trying to get started on BRAF inhibitors which are a new drug showing promising results in metastatic melanoma. However it hasn't been an easy road. I just got home after spending the last week in hospital due to bad symptoms. Due to the radiation treatment I received, I have also now lost all my hair.
My family still has a lot of hope and we are doing everything we can. Every little bit you have donated is helping us in trying to fight this. Thank you.
But, please help me as little or as much as you possibly can, as this is my last hope to hold on to my life for a little longer, to spend time with the people I love. I will be forever grateful.
Please also send this Information onto anyone you think may also help...Please
God Bless,
Allan Mitchell
Paengaroa, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand