Help Oliver Battle Stage 4 ALK Positive Lung Cancer

Hi

My name is Oliver 32 Scotland Fife

I’m fundraising to try & make memories with my wife , just small things in life I’m not looking to do much just a night away or dinner .

I was diagnosed with stage 4 ALK Positive Lung Cancer at the age of 26 in 2019 which has spread throughout my body.

Symtoms for me was having a sore back , I had approached one hospital where I was turned away with pain relief, I then decided to go to another hospital due to the severe pain in my back and there I had multiple tests including Scans , Bloods & Even a Biopsy in my neck which had to be taken twice .

Throughout my time in Hospital 4 Doctors reassured me saying it wouldn’t be serious and for me not to worry , 5th Doctor was a Lung Cancer Specialist and a MacMillan Nurse who sat me and my wife down to tell us the scan / biopsy results . The scan showing the Cancer in my left Lung & T8 Vertebrae (Spine) , My biopsy had also shown the abnormality in my lymph nodes this was where they had informed me and my wife of having Stage 4 ALK Positive Lung Cancer, (Terminal) I am the youngest person to be battling this type of Cancer in Scotland. Both me and my wife broke down in tears not knowing what to do , not even knowing how to cope with it we knew we had to battle this head on but we didn’t know what to expect.

9th of August 2019 is when I was Diagnosed & on the 12th of August is when I officially started treatment

12th August 2019 I started Radiotherapy 5 rounds all together, Struggled eating & drinking for weeks after.

I then started Targeted Chemotherapy a tablet called Alectinib ( Alecensa ) 600mg which i was one for almost 5 years .

On 4th of March this year (2024) my wife’s birthday I ended up in hospital where I was paralysed down the left hand side of my body . I was told after Scans etc they had found a Brain Metastasis at 26mm also it had spread to my Kidney & Esophagus.

As the Cancer was spreading I was taken off Alectinib and was placed on another Targeted Chemotherapy called Lorlatinib recommended to me by a Professor in Newcastle to help with the Cancer all over including the Brain Metastasis.

Took me 3 weeks of recovery with me being paralysed, but with my wife helped me at home , Showering , Making meals , also pushing me in the wheelchair and helping me to walk again etc ..

December 2024 , As I was on Lorlatinib to help with the Brain metastasis I also had undergone Stereotactic Radiotherapy to help keep the Brain Metastasis at bay . This included being fitted for a mask which wasn’t pleasant and something I still have to this day , 3 rounds in total, also experienced side effects including loss of hair , sickness , etc …

Unfortunately like any medication I had to overcome the side effects and to this day I’m still living with side effects and pains

im now 32 years old almost 33 trying to live a normal life

Thankyou for any help towards making the time I have left memorable

we welcome any emails & if you have tried to email & we haven’t responded yet we are having a few difficulties with emails showing up

we do apologise though for any inconvenience

love Oli & Ann-Marie xxx