Lee’s Cancer Support Fund

Lee Chapman, a gem of a human being, is a 33-year-old husband to Melissa, father to gorgeous Luca (2), and an incredibly kind soul, whose life has been turned upside down after receiving a devastating diagnosis. What began as shoulder and arm pain in mid December 2024, led to a frightening sequence of events, ultimately resulting in a diagnosis of Stage 4 Melanoma.

Lee visited A&E on 15th December and was sent away with advice to take pain relief and see how he gets on. However on Christmas Eve, with the pain getting considerably worse and affecting his day to day life, Lee contacted 111 who told him to attend A & E for a chest x-ray. It was on Christmas Eve Lee was told he had a mass on his lung and he would be put on the 2 week pathway for a diagnosis.

It was truly gut wrenching and painstaking to wait and with the news being absolutely devastating at any time, the wait carried the extra pressure of the festive period and so ultimately as a family we pulled together and got through as best we could. On 2nd January, Lee went for a CT scan, where they unfortunately confirmed it was a tumour in his lung, but to add to this they found lesions on his liver and that it had also spread to his lymph nodes. An incomprehensible shock. Hearing the words from the consultant that Lee has Stage 4 Cancer, instantly turned his life, and Lissa’s upside down. We as a family are truly heartbroken. Our Lee, the happy go lucky, genuine, kind hearted soul… coming to terms with everything was truly hard for all of us, and especially so for Lee.

Fast forward 10 days and Lee has undergone an endoscopic biopsy and 2 MRI scans. Whilst seemingly waiting for word on the treatment plan and when this will start and still in a lot of pain, Lee received further devastating news that they had now discovered another tumour in his neck. However due to the location, they needed to prevent MSCC (Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression) and so on January 10th 2025 Lee was urgently transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital and placed on strict bed rest while wearing a neck brace, to prevent damage to his spine.

After 4 days of uncertainty, on January 14th, Lee was moved to The Christie, where his treatment officially began on January 15th. The treatment plan is to use targeted therapy to shrink all tumours, with immunotherapy and radiotherapy waiting in the wings should these be needed. However until the tumour in his neck shrinks away from his spinal cord, the neck brace is to be worn for the foreseeable future. Lee has also lost movement in his left arm, which has been really tough for him. Lee is a joiner, a hands on practical person and now being unable to use his left arm, you can only imagine the strain on him emotionally/mentally as well as physically.

The Christie are providing phenomenal care and support for Lee, and for Lissa. They are learning more each day about what Lee’s cancer is, how it behaves, what the treatment plan is and this is really helping Lee to focus on his recovery. Targeted treatment has extremely positive results in patients with BRAF+ Melanoma like Lee and combined with his age he is eligible to have this incredible treatment, which started 15th January. Consultants at The Christie are very hopeful and positive about the outcome of this treatment.

Lee’s wife, Lissa, their 2-year-old son, Luca, and the rest of our family are desperately hoping to get him home soon, but at a time where Lee should be focused on his recovery and resting, the stress of the financial implications this is having is weighing heavily on his mind. With Lee unable to work, the costs of everyday living, travel, household bills, mortgage, and additional expenses are undeniable. It seems extremely unfair and makes us sad and angry that this is even something that Lee is having to think about at a time like this.

Due to having Melanoma 6 years ago, Lee had a critical illness insurance policy which helped massively to cover financial commitments at that time. Lee was given the all clear last year after 5 years of checks but we unfortunately now know that some of the melanoma cells remained and mutated to cause the stage 4 cancer Lee has been diagnosed with. Because this is his second cancer diagnosis, Lee is unable to claim on this insurance policy.

Lee should be able to focus on his health and recovery as a top priority without worrying about money, but he is so used to providing for his family, and a proud man who works more hours than anyone we know in his self employed business, that this is constantly on his mind. We’ve had a number of messages asking to help and support so that’s why we’ve set up this page—so friends, family, and anyone who is able to help can contribute to easing the burden during this incredibly difficult time.

Any donation, no matter the size, will go directly to Lee and his family to help towards their household bills, any specialist equipment he may need such as an orthopaedic bed, and other extra costs they face during this difficult time. Your support will make a world of difference as they navigate this battle together.

We as a family thank you for your kindness, generosity, and for being part of Lee’s support network during this challenging journey. Every donation and your words of support and love are appreciated more than we can express.

Xxxxx