Help Jim access URGENT life-saving cancer care

My Stepdad Jim is returning to hospital in Freiburg, Germany. He travelled there in March for exploratory cancer surgery and treatment after being told there were no more treatment options for him in the UK. The planned procedure quickly turned into a long but life saving surgery! After returning home to the UK in April he has been unable to receive the care he urgently needs and the care that should be available to him.

The anticipated costs are unknown and we are looking to raise money to pay for these costs and additional treatment that Jim needs.

As a family we would like to highlight the case of Jim so that we can help make sure all stage IV patients are given a chance. We would also like to highlight the difference between the Cancer treatment in the UK and the treatment in other countries.

Please share his story, any help would be gratefully received!! Please read the full story and updates below.

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Hi, my name is Lauren, and I am fundraising for my Stepdad Jim. We live in Dennyloanhead, a village in Central Scotland.

On the 6th of July, 2023, Jim was diagnosed with stage IV Cancer. At 48 years of age, Jim presented fit and robust and yet was given a devastating prognosis.

Unable to determine the primary source of Jim's Cancer, the NHS had very little to offer, and Jim and our family were faced with the bleak reality of his disease.

The Cancer

Jim was told he had one very small area of metastasis in the peritoneal cavity and several nodules of metastasis in both lungs. From a PET scan and a CT scan, there was no sign of a primary tumour. The histological investigations of the biopsy from the peritoneal met showed the cancer was an adenocarcinoma which was likely of Gastrointestinal tract origin. Despite the stage IV status, Jim was advised he had a very low volume of disease and told not to rush into treatment.

At this point, Jim was informed his cancer was not curable and palliative chemotherapy would be the only treatment available.

As a family, we were devastated, confused, and in shock. Life had changed in an instant.

Doctors advised that there was no value in further investigations to try and locate a primary tumour. However, after pushing for a second opinion, this decision was overruled, and a vital colonoscopy was performed. Unfortunately, this did not find a primary tumour, leaving Jim's official cancer status in the unfavourable bracket of a ' CUP Cancer' ( CUP = Cancer of Unknown Primary).

A CT scan on the 2/8/23 showed some progression of disease in the peritoneum and lungs, and Jim was advised to start Chemotherapy.

Jim is in the hospital receiving Chemotherapy.

A regime of the Chemotherapy combination CAPOX commenced on 1/9/23 before a scan on 15/11/23 showed improvement in the lungs but further disease progression in the peritoneum. The CAPOX regime was stopped, and five weeks passed before the second line of treatment began.

During his first round of Chemotherapy, Jim remained strong. There were some difficult side effects, but as a self-employed joiner, Jim continued working to support his family despite the physical challenges of managing cancer treatment.

On 8/12/23, Jim began his second line of treatment of the Chemotherapy regime FOLFIRI. This regime had more potent side effects, and Jim decided to slow down work to try and keep his body strong.

On 24/1/24, after four rounds of the second line Chemotherapy, Jim had another CT scan. The scan showed improvement in the lungs but some progression of disease in the peritoneum from the previous scan on 15/11/23. The Doctors concluded that this progression was evidence that the Chemotherapy was not effective and made the decision to stop all treatment.

In an emotionally crippling meeting on 26/1/24, we were given the news that treatment was to stop, and there was no other treatment available. We were informed that the cancer had begun to infiltrate his small bowel, and this would likely lead to a bowel blockage in the coming months. Jim was told that the surgical team had already decided not to intervene if/ when this occurred, and it would be best for him to make the decision now as to where he would like to die.

We were informed that there was no value in an intervention as future or multiple blockages were likely and that if he would like to die at home, it would be best not to come to the hospital at all.

Jim was referred to the Beatson trials unit, where he would be considered for any clinical trials that he may be eligible for.

As a family, we were quickly forced to accept that the standard of care available was insufficient and urgent action was required. There were third-line treatment options, but these were disappointingly not offered by the hospital.

We have sought multiple opinions, and Jim's wife, Muriel, has left no stone unturned. We have explored many integrative therapies and researched many treatment options. Through a stroke of luck and the help of a passionate Cancer survivor, Jim has an opportunity to get help from the renowned Comprehensive Cancer Centre Freiburg (CCCF) at UniKlinic Freiburg, one of the top oncological centers in Germany. For more information see website.

Freiburg CCCF Oncological center of excellence

This is a breakthrough in our family's fight to find options for Jim, and it is a ray of hope for us all.

The Treatment

The CCCF has offered Jim explorative surgery to determine the extent of the disease in his abdominal cavity and has offered PIPAC treatment. PIPAC stands for Pressurised IntraPeritoneal Aerosolised Chemotherapy. The PIPAC operation aims to get control of the cancer by shrinking the number and size of the tumours in the peritoneum. If this is successful, we hope Jim may be eligible for further treatment that he is not currently eligible for in the UK. The center in Germany offers a tailor-made approach to individuals and their needs - a service that all Cancer patients deserve.

These life-extending treatments come with a considerable price tag. The cost of this first procedure is £19,000, which does not include the additional costs of travel, accommodation, or the required language translator for the hospital stay. Jim's income from being self-employed was the primary household income, and he sadly, like many of us, did not feel it necessary to have any income protection insurance in the event of illness. This leaves the family in a difficult financial position to find all the extra funds required for this potentially life-changing treatment.

Jim has never been one to accept help easily and is a person who would cringe at the attention of even a small birthday party. He is uncomfortable asking for help, so I would like to ask you all for help on his behalf. This is a time of great need, and his fight for survival is intense. Please can you donate to help Jim fight for his chance to survive?

A little about Jim.

Jim in his racing days.

Jim and his wife Muriel.

Jim lives with his wife Muriel, his son James, and his 3 beloved Jack Russell dogs. He has a daughter, Alix, and he is also a Papa to my 5-year-old son. He is a family man and a workaholic. His life revolves around his close family and working as a manufacturing joiner until all hours in the evening. He is a highly talented craftsman, and there is slight separation between life and work for Jim... unless it is for a cup of coffee, a cuddle with his dogs, or a chat about cars or buildings.

My little boy and his 'Papa Jim'.

Any money raised will be used for treatments that give Jim the best chance to fight this disease. Any surplus will be donated to a worthy cause to help others in their fight.

I want Jim's story to be used to raise awareness of the importance of advocating for your health. I have omitted some parts of his story, but the journey has been a fight at every turn. Wasted time and small mistakes have enormous consequences for patients, and in critical situations such as Jim's, there is no time to waste. Always seek a second and even a third or fourth opinion. #Selfadvocacy #Beproactive #Hollistichealthcare #Patientcentredcare

Latest update

From the date of his last CT scan (provided by the trials unit on 26/2/24), Jim's peritoneal disease has progressed further and currently causing what is believed to be a partial bowel obstruction. His other organs are functioning well; he continues to eat and drink and have regular bowel movements but is highly eager to get back on treatment. We are now in a time-critical position, and Jim is due for his procedure in Germany on 7/3/24.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story so far.

Please share!!