Ahmad's Fight for Life: Battling Cancer with HOPE

Ahmad Ojra is organizing this fundraiser.

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I invite you to join me in my Battle Against a Rare Cancer ♥︎

Hello, I'm Ahmad, 33 years old, based in Swansea, UK, and I'm facing a daunting battle against a rare and aggressive Cancer, known Sarcoma MPNST.

Just two years ago, I was healthy and active, but this devastating diagnosis turned my life upside down. I've faced major surgeries, intense treatments, and life-threatening complications.

Despite being told that my case is incurable and I'm in my final stage, I refuse to give up.

Now, I'm exploring various potential treatments and clinical trials (outside NHS constrained resources), along with Stereotactic Radiotherapy for immediate local control in my lungs, to keep fighting.

Your support is my lifeline in this journey. Thank you for being part of my Cancer battle.

If you are interested to know more, please keep reading ..

I was initially hesitant to write this, but my belief in the kindness of people and our shared ability to support one another has encouraged me to reach out.

Hi, my name is Ahmad Ojra. I want to share my journey, my dreams, and my fight for Life. It's a story of a Stage 4 Cancer fighter in a battle for his dreams.

Before Cancer entered my life, I was an example of health and vitality. I was following an active lifestyle, doing sports like football, hitting the gym, swimming, and maintaining a healthy diet. I was the go-to guy for fitness advice, and my friends saw me as the essence of well-being. But life has its own surprises, when you least expect them.

Two years ago, my world came crashing down. Two biopsies revealed the unthinkable – I had a rare Sarcoma subtype called MPNST. It was just before I was to complete my PhD in Digital Transformation Engineering at Swansea University. The diagnosis turned my world upside down, making the already challenging journey to my PhD even more difficult.

The tumour was localised in my right thigh, but it was an aggressive enemy. The medical team recommended a major surgery at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, followed by 33 intense sessions of radiotherapy. My groin was bleeding, and no painkiller could help. It was a battle, but I fought with everything I had. My grin masked the pain, and I pressed on.

Miraculously, I was cancer-free for six months. During this respite, I experienced a joy that I never thought I'd see. I married my soulmate, Majdoleen, on 4th February 2022. It was a day we had longed for, after three years of being engaged. We had weathered the storm together, especially when my diagnosis forced us to postpone our wedding. Our Love had triumphed, and we celebrated our union on that beautiful day.

But our story took another unexpected turn. After our wedding, I began to experience relentless back pain. It started as a whisper but grew louder with each passing day. We knew something was wrong. A PET scan followed by an MRI revealed the ugly truth – Cancer had returned, and this time it had metastasised to the paraspinal muscle near my spinal cord. The location was perilous, as it threatened to affect my spinal cord.

I was referred to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, where a biopsy confirmed the nightmare: the Cancer had become more aggressive, a specific subtype known as Triton Tumour. It was a subset of MPNST, known for its cruelty and high chances of recurrence and spread.

An eight-hour major surgery followed at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital. It was a brutal suffering as the surgeons grappled with my back, even having to break bones and ribs to remove the tumour. The post-surgery pain was unimaginable, but I was determined to persevere.

Just days after the operation, my world was shaken once more. I developed a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition. Against the odds, I survived. A few weeks later, I was sent home to recover from the surgery, with plans for post-surgery radiotherapy to ensure the cancer's death.

But the pain didn't decrease; it escalated to a level I can hardly put into words. I could no longer sit in a chair and could only lie on my bed, racked by unbearable pain. I relied on powerful drugs like oxycodone and morphine, but they offered only momentary relief. Sleep eluded me, and the pain remained harsh. An MRI revealed the cruel truth – the Cancer had returned, again, in my back.

Did it mean that the big extremely painful surgery for eight hours was meaningless?! I asked myself.

To make matters worse, the Cancer was aggressively spreading to my lungs.

My medical team urgently called me from Singleton Hospital. The tumour in my back was recurrent and was significantly compressing my spinal cord, a threat to my mobility; they thought I could be paralysed! I was even told not to move at all from bed, unless to toilet!

High-dose steroids and palliative radiotherapy were deemed necessary to halt its progress. I underwent 15 sessions of palliative radiotherapy, all while starting intense chemotherapy with Doxorubicin and Ifosfamide.

The oncology team, despite their best efforts, painted a grim picture. They described my case as incurable, with a limited array of treatments available due to the NHS's constrained resources. It was a hard pill to swallow. The options I had could provide a temporary respite and an improved quality of life until my time comes but offered no real cure. Few months left for me, they said! They were the darkest days of my life, and I felt time could not move on!

Despite the odds, I fought on. I couldn't bear the thought of giving up.

Through relentless research, I have found potential treatments in the USA. There is a ray of hope at the Sarcoma Oncology Centre in Santa Monica, California, under the expertise of Dr. Erlinda Gordon and Dr. Sant Chawla. They would offer me a systemic treatment for six months, initially, using gene therapy called Deltarex-G. It’s very expensive, with an estimated costs of more than $15,000 a month, but it had shown promise in cases similar to mine.

I have also discovered a clinical trial at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, led by Dr. Duscia Bubovic. They experience vaccine therapy for my type of cancer, MPNST. While this therapy could only target a specific lesion in my body, it was a glimmer of hope. I am qualified for the trial, but it comes with significant personal expenses.

Yet, I refuse to give in. My priority is to have Stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) for my lungs, as soon as I can, to control the aggressive tumour’s progression. The Royal Marsden Hospital in London is an option, but the costs are estimated to be around £20,000.

It's been a gruelling two years, and at times, I questioned how much more I could endure.

But the glimmer of hope grows brighter with these potential treatments. I can feel life coursing back into my veins, and the prospect of dreams fulfilled once again feels within reach. Yet, the financial barrier stands as a formidable challenge.

Join My Battle ♥︎

I need your kind support to access these treatments and fight for my life. Your generosity could make all the difference. I refuse to believe this is the end.

With your help, I can continue to fight, to live, and to dream. Join me in this battle against cancer and be my light of hope in my darkest hours.

Together, we can make a difference. My life relies on your support, and I'm immensely grateful for your kindness.

I promise to keep you updated on my journey, and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for being a part of my story and for offering me the chance to fight and dream.

Love & Gratitude,

Ahmad 

__ Don't take your health for granted. Enjoy each moment in Life __