Jo -Please donate -Medical Treatment for rare cancer

Some of you reading this will have been blessed by the ray of sunshine that is Jo Shaw Pyke crossing their path in life. Jo is one of those people that leaves a huge impression. Once you've met Jo , I guarantee you'll never forget her. You leave her company buoyed up and feeling that the world is a better place.

It's hard to describe Jo in a few words but she is kind, so much fun, positive , selfless and caring.

Jo has spent many years as a counsellor working for the charity Cancer Connections, dedicated to supporting people with cancer and their families on their personal and emotional journeys. Our family have had the privilege of leaning on Jo's wisdom, love and sensitivity at a difficult time in our lives some years ago . She will never truly know just how much her care and support meant to us.

Diagnosis

Sadly, just before Christmas 2023, only months after getting married, Jo herself was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive cancer , Mucosal Melanoma. Mucosal Melanoma occurs in the mucous membranes which are often tucked away in your nose , mouth , anus or vagina. It is fast growing and in most cases unfortunately the prognosis is poor. Treatment in the UK is very limited and statistics show the treatment available has a very low success rate.

Jo has recently been told that her cancer is stage 4 terminal.

She has discovered she has what is known as a wild -type BRAF gene which means the only treatment available here in the UK is immunotherapy. The chance of this keeping her cancer at bay is only 17% and that is subject to her body being able to withstand any side effects. Immunotherapy is not a cure , but it may slow down the progression of the disease or curb its spread if Jo is part of the 17% for whom it is successful.

Despite her own circumstances , Jo has made it her mission to spread awareness of the symptoms of this rare cancer and to set up a group support for others. As part of her research , Jo has discovered a cancer treatment available abroad , called TIL therapy which is innovative, complex and expensive. Thirty years of research has gone into the treatment but unfortunately it's still not readily available in the UK despite being available abroad. TIL has been approved for patients in the U.S. costing in the region of $550,000.

What is TIL ?

TIL therapy involves removal of a cancerous tumour (which needs to be sized around 1.5cm to 3cm ) in order to collect the TIL cells from the tumour. TIL cells are cells that have cancer fighting properties. These cancer fighting cells are then isolated and grown in their billions in a laboratory and subsequently injected back into the patient. The TIL cells can then find and kill tumors anywhere in the body. They can even kill tumors that cannot be removed by surgery.

Results from research show that 60% of patients treated with TIL were still alive six years after treatment despite an initial poor prognosis.

So how can you help?

Jo has given (and remarkably is selflessly still giving !) so much of herself to help others with cancer, I am asking that your support is now given to her. I am reaching out to your good nature and seeking donations , however big or small, to pay for Jo to be treated abroad with TIL therapy to give her the best chance of a longer life with mucosal melanoma.

I know requests for contributions to causes come very regularly these days but if you can offer anything at all it would be gratefully appreciated. Every contribution no matter what the size will bring Jo a step closer to TIL therapy treatment.

If for any reason Jo is not able to undergo TIL therapy, all donations will be refunded or alternatively donated to Cancer Connections ( Registered Charity number 1116728) to help other cancer patients and their families.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and for supporting this beautiful lady. Together we're stronger than cancer.

Sending love and thanks , Karen ❤️