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Chris was diagnosed with a grade II astrocytoma brain tumour in December 2013. We count ourselves lucky that at the moment it is benign and doesnt spread to the rest of his body. The downside is, that this particular brain tumour doesnt stop growing into the rest of his brain.
In 2016, the 10% that was left after surgery had started to grow again, it is spreading into healthy brain and further surgery is not possible. Over the past few months he has undergone radiotheraphy and currently living through 6 months of chemotheraphy. In the UK there are no further options for him.
To say he has had a rough 3 years would be an understatement. Read his full story below....
Chris was a normal 30 year old lad. He went to work every day, enjoyed going the gym and spent every weekend with his son. As November 2013 approached Chris started suffering with a head ache and feeling unwell. The 12 month anniversary since his mums passing was approaching so he put the blame on that. He had never smoked, only drunk on occassions, exercised everyday and had age on his side for it to be anything serious. He had a 'viral infection' they said.
Mid December 2013 he was sent home from work due to forgetting my name whilst we where on the phone and draining of colour. We went to Whiston A&E and he was diagnosed with a mild migraine by the receptionist and his file put in the non-urgent pile. Triage ran some bloods and ruled out a stroke due to his age and love for the gym. We had been there for 5 hours and he was told to continue with his cold and flu tablets, paracetamol and get a good nights sleep.
Due to my persistant pestering for a CT scan, they eventually agreed to do one to 'put my mind at ease'.
When the Dr entered the room and closed the door behind him I instantly knew something was not right. He explained that they had found a mass on the left side of his brain and his scans has been sent to The Walton Centre. Whiston immediately admitted him.
We survived Christmas with his 10 year old son believing his dad 'had a bad back'. How do you explain to a child about brain tumours? We spent endless weeks attending speech and language therapists, councillors, MRI scans and the speaking with the Neurology team.
In March 2014 the Walton Centre de-bulked the tumour by 90%. They woke him up mid surgery to see how he reacted to the identification of everyday items that he had been previously tested on. If a mistake was made by Chris they didnt touch that part of the tumour. If the 10% left had been removed it would of put his acadmeic speaking and reading level back to that of a 7 year old.
After a week he was discharged home and recovery was a long drawn out process. He spent the next month in and out of hospital due to swelling around the replaced piece of skull. A gruelling 7 lumber punch's later, the giant egg had slightly decreased and he spent 2 week's looking like Mr Bump.
He got words muddled and even made up some new ones. He would forget he had put the bath on or even if he had taken his medication. I heartbreakingly watched the soft, gentle giant, kind man I love become an anxious, shy loner.
Two and a half months passed and Chris was hit with an emergency court order to stop his access to his 11 year old son. This was over a little boy who had spent every weekend with his dad. Still to this day we are unsure of the true reason why his sons mum filed for this. For the next 12 months Chris was dragged to 6 hearings and had to prove he was medically capable of caring for his child. He was constantly being advised by his healthcare team that this added stress was only fueling the growth of the remaining tumour and to step back from the case. Chris rightfully chose to put his relationship with his son before his health. The judge awarded us 50/50 shared care. This allowed more time than ever for Chris and his son to make memories.
Part of me is thankful that we where taken to court, it was the first time I saw Chris fight for the life he wanted. That period changed him, he fought for what he deserved and realised the error in his ways of what being a 'push over' for years had resulted in.
In Septemeber 2015 Chris unexpectedly lost his uncle Billy. A man who had brought Chris up as his son, as Chris has never met his biological father. This massive blow did put Chris back and he suffered with deep depression he was left with an outlook on life that he has sheer bad luck. He did lose hope.
Fast forward to summer 2016 and Chris had been dealing with changes in life well. He is very reliant on me in terms of decision making, finances and dealing with all appointments and paperwork but time has allowed him to laugh at his forgetfulness and new vocabulary that he uses from time to time. His routine MRI scan shown that the tumour had been growing again but this time into a new area which will bring new challenges! His surgeon has refused to operate any further due to the complications it may bring and leave Chris unable to make a new memory. The only other option we had was cancer treatment. He was assigned an oncologist at the Clatterbridge Centre and 6 weeks of radiotheraphy was given.
Chris doesn't have cancer and no amount of treatment in the U.K. will ever be able to cure Chris's tumour because it is benign...what the treatment could do was stun the tumour and kill the cells around it making it unable to grow hopefully for serveral years. It will also hopefully prevent it from turning from benign to malignant. Due to research in Germany it has been clinically proven that anyone suffering with a grade III version of this tumour has a better life expectancy if treated with Radio and chemotherphy within 6 weeks of each other and there is no harm on treating a grade II. SO, that is where we are. He is currenly due to start his second cycle of chemotheraphy next month - Chemo is the devil itself and Chris has lost over 1.5 stone in 2 weeks but we are thankful that it is helping in its own little way.
My ask to you is to help me show Chris he is not alone in this fight. I have enquired with a consultant in Germany where treatment is completely different to here in the UK and we have hope they can give Chris years back.
Please help Chris fight this brain tumour in anyway you can. You can help by donating, and/or sharing his story, fundraising on his behalf, or asking friends and family about fundraising advice or grants Chris may be able to receive.
I would like it known that any money raised if un-used (or Chris passes before treatment is given) will be donated between The Walton Centre and The Clatterbridge trust,
Thank you for reading Chris's story, we truely appreciate all your help.
Lauren xxx
To follow Chris on his journey search Chris's Journey on Facebook ...
In 2016, the 10% that was left after surgery had started to grow again, it is spreading into healthy brain and further surgery is not possible. Over the past few months he has undergone radiotheraphy and currently living through 6 months of chemotheraphy. In the UK there are no further options for him.
To say he has had a rough 3 years would be an understatement. Read his full story below....
Chris was a normal 30 year old lad. He went to work every day, enjoyed going the gym and spent every weekend with his son. As November 2013 approached Chris started suffering with a head ache and feeling unwell. The 12 month anniversary since his mums passing was approaching so he put the blame on that. He had never smoked, only drunk on occassions, exercised everyday and had age on his side for it to be anything serious. He had a 'viral infection' they said.
Mid December 2013 he was sent home from work due to forgetting my name whilst we where on the phone and draining of colour. We went to Whiston A&E and he was diagnosed with a mild migraine by the receptionist and his file put in the non-urgent pile. Triage ran some bloods and ruled out a stroke due to his age and love for the gym. We had been there for 5 hours and he was told to continue with his cold and flu tablets, paracetamol and get a good nights sleep.
Due to my persistant pestering for a CT scan, they eventually agreed to do one to 'put my mind at ease'.
When the Dr entered the room and closed the door behind him I instantly knew something was not right. He explained that they had found a mass on the left side of his brain and his scans has been sent to The Walton Centre. Whiston immediately admitted him.
We survived Christmas with his 10 year old son believing his dad 'had a bad back'. How do you explain to a child about brain tumours? We spent endless weeks attending speech and language therapists, councillors, MRI scans and the speaking with the Neurology team.
In March 2014 the Walton Centre de-bulked the tumour by 90%. They woke him up mid surgery to see how he reacted to the identification of everyday items that he had been previously tested on. If a mistake was made by Chris they didnt touch that part of the tumour. If the 10% left had been removed it would of put his acadmeic speaking and reading level back to that of a 7 year old.
After a week he was discharged home and recovery was a long drawn out process. He spent the next month in and out of hospital due to swelling around the replaced piece of skull. A gruelling 7 lumber punch's later, the giant egg had slightly decreased and he spent 2 week's looking like Mr Bump.
He got words muddled and even made up some new ones. He would forget he had put the bath on or even if he had taken his medication. I heartbreakingly watched the soft, gentle giant, kind man I love become an anxious, shy loner.
Two and a half months passed and Chris was hit with an emergency court order to stop his access to his 11 year old son. This was over a little boy who had spent every weekend with his dad. Still to this day we are unsure of the true reason why his sons mum filed for this. For the next 12 months Chris was dragged to 6 hearings and had to prove he was medically capable of caring for his child. He was constantly being advised by his healthcare team that this added stress was only fueling the growth of the remaining tumour and to step back from the case. Chris rightfully chose to put his relationship with his son before his health. The judge awarded us 50/50 shared care. This allowed more time than ever for Chris and his son to make memories. Part of me is thankful that we where taken to court, it was the first time I saw Chris fight for the life he wanted. That period changed him, he fought for what he deserved and realised the error in his ways of what being a 'push over' for years had resulted in.
In Septemeber 2015 Chris unexpectedly lost his uncle Billy. A man who had brought Chris up as his son, as Chris has never met his biological father. This massive blow did put Chris back and he suffered with deep depression he was left with an outlook on life that he has sheer bad luck. He did lose hope.
Fast forward to summer 2016 and Chris had been dealing with changes in life well. He is very reliant on me in terms of decision making, finances and dealing with all appointments and paperwork but time has allowed him to laugh at his forgetfulness and new vocabulary that he uses from time to time. His routine MRI scan shown that the tumour had been growing again but this time into a new area which will bring new challenges! His surgeon has refused to operate any further due to the complications it may bring and leave Chris unable to make a new memory. The only other option we had was cancer treatment. He was assigned an oncologist at the Clatterbridge Centre and 6 weeks of radiotheraphy was given.
Chris doesn't have cancer and no amount of treatment in the U.K. will ever be able to cure Chris's tumour because it is benign...what the treatment could do was stun the tumour and kill the cells around it making it unable to grow hopefully for serveral years. It will also hopefully prevent it from turning from benign to malignant. Due to research in Germany it has been clinically proven that anyone suffering with a grade III version of this tumour has a better life expectancy if treated with Radio and chemotherphy within 6 weeks of each other and there is no harm on treating a grade II. SO, that is where we are. He is currenly due to start his second cycle of chemotheraphy next month - Chemo is the devil itself and Chris has lost over 1.5 stone in 2 weeks but we are thankful that it is helping in its own little way.
My ask to you is to help me show Chris he is not alone in this fight. I have enquired with a consultant in Germany where treatment is completely different to here in the UK and we have hope they can give Chris years back.
Please help Chris fight this brain tumour in anyway you can. You can help by donating, and/or sharing his story, fundraising on his behalf, or asking friends and family about fundraising advice or grants Chris may be able to receive.
I would like it known that any money raised if un-used (or Chris passes before treatment is given) will be donated between The Walton Centre and The Clatterbridge trust,
Thank you for reading Chris's story, we truely appreciate all your help.
Lauren xxx
To follow Chris on his journey search Chris's Journey on Facebook ...
Organizer
Lauren Rigby
Organizer