Tim is 24yrs with Stage 4 Melanoma
Donation protected
TIM: My nephew Tim is 24yrs and moved to Canberra in February 2015 to attend the Australian National University to complete his science & biology, photosynthesis degree. Tim received devastating news in March 2015, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma Metastasis in his lung. Tim while undergoing treatment managed to complete his degree in 2016 and gained honours. He planned to start his PHD in 2017.
(Tim with his honours)
WHO AM I: My name is Carol Day and my youngest sister’s name is Dianne. Dianne is married to Kevin and they have 3 amazing sons Tim 24, Sam 23 and Jack 15, the family live near Port Macquarie.
I have put this fund together to raise much needed financial assistance for Kevin, Dianne and their family. Kevin and Dianne own a small cleaning business in the Port Macquarie area. Dianne has been unable to work, staying in Canberra to care for Tim since his surgery in December, attending all his appointments which have been almost daily and being by his beside day and night while in hospital. Kevin flies or drives back and forth as much as he can while trying to keep their business afloat. Their household bills plus Tim's medical expenses continue to expand and I hope we can raise enough funds to assist them in this very hard time.
(The Ryan Family - Sam, Dianne, Kevin, Jack, Tim - taken a few years ago)
TIM'S STORY: After Tim's diagnosis in 2015, he and Dianne travelled from Canberra to Westmead Hospital as Tim was approved to start an Immunotherapy Trial. After Tim’s 3rd treatment he became very ill with high temperatures and was admitted to Westmead Hospital. Tests revealed that Tim had developed Cirrhosis of his liver from the immunotherapy and he had to stop the trial.
Tim now has Type 2 Diabetes from taking Prednisolone to assist with his unhealthy liver from the trial. The doctors were waiting for the liver to heal before they could start a new drug called Keytruda. He was able to start Keytruda at Canberra Hospital, close to his home. Tim had 2 x Keytruda treatments but the tumour in his lung continued to grow to they had to cease Keytruda immediately.
The doctors conducted another immunotherapy treatment but it was not successful in reducing the size of the tumour on his lung.
In December 2016 Tim had no other option than to undergo a Lobectomy to remove the tumour from his lung. The operation was long as the tumour was so close to a main artery but they were successful in removing the tumour at Canberra Hospital.
(Tim after his lung surgery)
Prior to Tim’s surgery his scans never revealed any other tumours in his body, only ever the secondary tumour in his lung.
Tim was scheduled for a scan in January 2017, 6 weeks after the operation but a few days prior to the scan date he noticed a lump on his shoulder. A biopsy was taken and the results were devastating, a malignant tumour.
Within days Tim developed lumps in various places on his body. A CT scan revealed that he had large tumours on his liver plus other organs and parts of his body. The doctors, oncologists and nurses had no explanation as to why he now had tumours throughout his body. Tim received the heartbreaking news that there was no further treatment options.
Dianne, Kevin and Tim continued to research all possible treatment options within Australia and overseas. They managed to make an appointment with Georgina Long at the Melanoma Institute in Sydney. Georgina and her team agreed to see Tim immediately so they drive from Canberra to Sydney return in one day. Georgina and her team advised Tim that there was an old chemotherapy drug that may provide him with a little time but it was a small percentage. Tim asked about numerous treatment options that he had researched but unfortunately none of them would be a successful treatment for his cancer. Georgina and her team were wonderful and answered all of Tim’s questions. They drove back to Canberra that night and when they returned home late Tim started to experience dreadful pain in his stomach area from the tumours.
Tim decided to start the very strong, older chemotherapy drug that Georgina has mentioned. Tim has now had 2 treatments, his last treatment being the last week of February. After his last treatment Tim fell very ill with high temperatures and pneumonia, he was admitted to Canberra hospital in the first week of March where he also developed a staph infection. Tim will not continue with the chemotherapy.
On Saturday evening the 4th March Tim started to experience excruciating, intolerable pain in his stomach area. CT scans revealed that one of the tumours on his liver was bleeding and inoperable. The scans also revealed that the 2 x chemotherapy treatments had not worked and more tumours had developed. Tim was discharged from hospital on Friday 10 March for 1 night to spend a night with his family in his apartment. On Saturday 11 March he was moved to palliative care in Barton, Canberra.
In the last few days Tim received the results from his cancer genome sequencing (a biochemical lab test that Tim requested back in January that cost him $4,000). The results revealed that two types of treatments may fight his cancer and give him more time, one treatment was not available in Australia and the other $7,000 per treatment. Dianne, Kevin and Tim have agreed to try the $7,000 per treatment option starting on Wednesday in hope to give Tim more time.
THANK YOU for taking the time to read Tim's story and any donation will be greatly appreciated by myself, Tim, Kevin and Dianne plus everyone that knows and has meet Tim. It’s a truly heart breaking time and Tim is an absolute fighter and will continue to fight this dreadful illness.
Thank you so much in advance
Carol Day xxx
(Tim with his honours)WHO AM I: My name is Carol Day and my youngest sister’s name is Dianne. Dianne is married to Kevin and they have 3 amazing sons Tim 24, Sam 23 and Jack 15, the family live near Port Macquarie.
I have put this fund together to raise much needed financial assistance for Kevin, Dianne and their family. Kevin and Dianne own a small cleaning business in the Port Macquarie area. Dianne has been unable to work, staying in Canberra to care for Tim since his surgery in December, attending all his appointments which have been almost daily and being by his beside day and night while in hospital. Kevin flies or drives back and forth as much as he can while trying to keep their business afloat. Their household bills plus Tim's medical expenses continue to expand and I hope we can raise enough funds to assist them in this very hard time.
(The Ryan Family - Sam, Dianne, Kevin, Jack, Tim - taken a few years ago)TIM'S STORY: After Tim's diagnosis in 2015, he and Dianne travelled from Canberra to Westmead Hospital as Tim was approved to start an Immunotherapy Trial. After Tim’s 3rd treatment he became very ill with high temperatures and was admitted to Westmead Hospital. Tests revealed that Tim had developed Cirrhosis of his liver from the immunotherapy and he had to stop the trial.
Tim now has Type 2 Diabetes from taking Prednisolone to assist with his unhealthy liver from the trial. The doctors were waiting for the liver to heal before they could start a new drug called Keytruda. He was able to start Keytruda at Canberra Hospital, close to his home. Tim had 2 x Keytruda treatments but the tumour in his lung continued to grow to they had to cease Keytruda immediately.
The doctors conducted another immunotherapy treatment but it was not successful in reducing the size of the tumour on his lung.
In December 2016 Tim had no other option than to undergo a Lobectomy to remove the tumour from his lung. The operation was long as the tumour was so close to a main artery but they were successful in removing the tumour at Canberra Hospital.
(Tim after his lung surgery)Prior to Tim’s surgery his scans never revealed any other tumours in his body, only ever the secondary tumour in his lung.
Tim was scheduled for a scan in January 2017, 6 weeks after the operation but a few days prior to the scan date he noticed a lump on his shoulder. A biopsy was taken and the results were devastating, a malignant tumour.
Within days Tim developed lumps in various places on his body. A CT scan revealed that he had large tumours on his liver plus other organs and parts of his body. The doctors, oncologists and nurses had no explanation as to why he now had tumours throughout his body. Tim received the heartbreaking news that there was no further treatment options.
Dianne, Kevin and Tim continued to research all possible treatment options within Australia and overseas. They managed to make an appointment with Georgina Long at the Melanoma Institute in Sydney. Georgina and her team agreed to see Tim immediately so they drive from Canberra to Sydney return in one day. Georgina and her team advised Tim that there was an old chemotherapy drug that may provide him with a little time but it was a small percentage. Tim asked about numerous treatment options that he had researched but unfortunately none of them would be a successful treatment for his cancer. Georgina and her team were wonderful and answered all of Tim’s questions. They drove back to Canberra that night and when they returned home late Tim started to experience dreadful pain in his stomach area from the tumours.
Tim decided to start the very strong, older chemotherapy drug that Georgina has mentioned. Tim has now had 2 treatments, his last treatment being the last week of February. After his last treatment Tim fell very ill with high temperatures and pneumonia, he was admitted to Canberra hospital in the first week of March where he also developed a staph infection. Tim will not continue with the chemotherapy.
On Saturday evening the 4th March Tim started to experience excruciating, intolerable pain in his stomach area. CT scans revealed that one of the tumours on his liver was bleeding and inoperable. The scans also revealed that the 2 x chemotherapy treatments had not worked and more tumours had developed. Tim was discharged from hospital on Friday 10 March for 1 night to spend a night with his family in his apartment. On Saturday 11 March he was moved to palliative care in Barton, Canberra.
In the last few days Tim received the results from his cancer genome sequencing (a biochemical lab test that Tim requested back in January that cost him $4,000). The results revealed that two types of treatments may fight his cancer and give him more time, one treatment was not available in Australia and the other $7,000 per treatment. Dianne, Kevin and Tim have agreed to try the $7,000 per treatment option starting on Wednesday in hope to give Tim more time.
THANK YOU for taking the time to read Tim's story and any donation will be greatly appreciated by myself, Tim, Kevin and Dianne plus everyone that knows and has meet Tim. It’s a truly heart breaking time and Tim is an absolute fighter and will continue to fight this dreadful illness.
Thank you so much in advance
Carol Day xxx
Organizer
Carol Day
Organizer
Lake Haven, NSW