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Raised :- £3023.77
‘A minute of your time can change Henry´s destiny ’
I am writing on behalf of Henry Charles, a very good friend of mine and even though English is not my first language I am hopping I will find the right words to explain what we are aiming for through this website.
Henry is a 49 year old man who in February 2012 was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. In other words, terminal cancer.
Henry started having a cough that would not go away and over time he also lost a great amount of weight; sixteen kilos to be exact. He did not go to the doctor as soon as he should have done as he had to work to cover the bills. His sense of responsibility made him forget about his own health... I suppose he never thought a simple cough and weight loss could end up leading to such dramatic diagnosis.
Cancer as a diagnosis and 18 months to live - this was in February 2012.
Since March 2012, after learning about PDT - Photodaynamic Therapy - and its great results with many patients suffering from terminal cancer, including a family in Wales whom we have been in touch with, we have been working on raising money for Henry to access the mentioned treatment. PDT Treatment is also provided by the NHS as long as the patient suffers from an early stage cancer.
So, if the NHS only provides this treatment to early stage cancer, does this means that PDT does not work for more advanced cancer?.
No, NOT AT ALL, this only means that the NHS, like any other public service in this country or any other, has a budget to meet
certain basic needs, and that at the end of X time they need to show to higher authorities that they manage their budget
targeting it to achieve success. They invest in what is bound to succeed, just like any other business would do. They do not invest in complex even if they know that in many cases complex diagnosis have responded extremely well...
Let me give you a different example but still in relation to health conditions that will help to get a more clear understanding. For example, if a person suffers from depression or anxiety, the first thing a GP will do it is to prescribe tablets. Does that mean that this medication will cure you?. No, it just means that medication is cheaper than therapy and even though therapy has a greater rate of success than medication as it treats the root of the problem, your GP, initially, will always choose the cheapest way to treat you, even if it is not the best option FOR YOU.
So here is where we are. We, like so many others, have the knowledge that there are other options, one of them PDT. We know that Henry´s condition is expensive and that the NHS will not invest on him - neither on you if you ever find your self in the same situation - and because we love Henry we want him to live and we want to try our best so he can live as much as possible and with a good quality of life.
Am I campaigning against the NHS?.
No, I am just talking openly about a fact that exists and most people are aware of. But I must say that I am campaigning against letting people die without first giving the very best shot to allow them to keep on living.
What do we need?
We need to raise a minimum of 30,000 pounds for the Photodynamic treatment (PDT).
This amount will only cover medical costs for the treatment abroad and while in the actual clinic and it does not include travel expenses and further follow-ups. Neither it includes the cost of medical insurance or, in case of not being able to get one due to incompatibilities, the costs to deal with difficulties while being abroad.
So 30,000 is the very minimum we need to only access the treatment it self.
What is the success rate of PDT Treatment?
In Henry's case, 45 to 50% success rate. It may not seem a lot but it is, it is a lot when your life expectancy in year and a half is 0. It is a lot when you know that patients with terminal cancer have recovered after having had this treatment.
Are we expecting huge donations???
Well, that would be really nice BUT, no, that is not what we are expecting from you, specially right now that the crisis is hitting hard to so many of us.
Financial donations, even if they are small, are very important but money can also be raised out of an idea. That´s why we believe that a minute of your time could change Henry´s destiny. You can contact us with any idea you have to raise money. You may have or know somebody who has a Pub, Restaurant etc where we can organize an event. You could also have something to donate so we can organize a ruffle. You may know a DJ or a band who is willing to play for free in one of our events.
There is only one thing that needs to be mentioned and that is very important; Henry has been given 18 months to live, maybe, if he is lucky, as his Oncologist said, a bit longer. Time is an issue and yes, we are in a rush to raise money because for Henry to be able to go abroad to get treatment, he needs to be as strong as possible and, as we all know, cancer slowly deteriorates the immune system.
Please, for more information visit the rest of the website and the blog.