Support for Adam Hagan and his family

This page grew from an overwhelming show of support from family and friends of Adam Hagan.

Adam and his family have been humbled by the generosity and kindness shown by so many over the last twelve months. They feel blessed to be surrounded by such thoughtful and caring friends of whom they are so grateful for during this time. Thank you.

In September 2020, Adam Hagan was diagnosed with a rare cancer called Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL). He was a fit and healthy 46 year old, happily married with 3 kids. A devoted family man, actively involved in his children’s sporting ventures, enjoying life as a builder in the Sutherland Shire.

Suddenly he began suffering from poor balance, headaches, nausea and vomiting. After initial attempts to ignore it, it became evident a trip to his GP was necessary.

He was sent straight to hospital for scans where they discovered a tumour on his brain and after further testing it was confirmed he had PCNSL.

He immediately underwent brain surgery to remove the tumour but unfortunately, due to the position, they were unable to remove it completely. This was followed by 5 high dose rounds of brutal chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant.

In March of this year to our utter amazement and delight we were informed he was in remission. Unfortunately, this euphoria was short lived. Adam began feeling unwell, with his balance and mobility affected once again. In under a month he had relapsed, the tumour was back and aggressive, proving resistant to treatment. Chemotherapy, was no longer an option.

Adam went back to hospital for whole brain radiotherapy, and found himself separated from his wife and family due to Covid. Upon completing the treatment Adam returned home, but remained unwell. Further tests found the lymphoma had spread throughout his spinal cord causing paraplegia, rendering him unable to walk.

Adam returned to hospital, separated from his family again, and began receiving further radiotherapy to the brain and spinal cord. The cancer proved resistant to treatment and the Radiotherapy was stopped. In addition, Adam was granted access to a drug called Ibrutinib, which is a cancer growth inhibitor, not a cure. This is extremely costly, presently Adam is receiving this on a compassionate basis.

There are currently no clinical trials or treatments for Adam’s type of cancer in Australia, so we have had to look overseas. Adam’s oncologist believes that Adam’s final hope is to try Car-T Cell Therapy. This is potentially available in Boston, USA. This option presents many obstacles, especially in the current Covid environment, the fragile state of Adam’s health and the logistics of travelling to the US. Above all this, government funding is presently unavailable for this treatment, so to become a reality would cost the family in excess of a million dollars!

With no further treatment available in hospital, Adam has returned home to be with his wife and family, who he has been separated from for two long months. They have had to equip their home to simulate a hospital type environment, along with hiring carers, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, just the beginning of a long road ahead.

As close friends of Adam, Vanessa and family, please help us alleviate some of their financial burden so they can focus on Adam’s health and some quality family time together.

Thank you