On the 2nd of July my dad started the fight for his life, with his final cancer treatment. We are going in with a 25% success rate. As hard as that is with just that information, Adelaide does not have his treatment available and he will be fighting with mum by his side alone in Melbourne. With none of his family around, away from home, in an unknown hospital. They will be in Melbourne for 6-7 weeks while he fights his hardest for his life. 

I couldn’t thank everyone enough for their patience, warmth, generosity, and help to me and my family during the last 8 months. It’s been a horrible journey I wouldn’t wish anyone else to go through. So I want to change it. It may not help us but it’ll help the next family to not have to be away for their fight. To not have a sick cancer patient travel on a generic domestic flight to another state. To have a sick immunocompromised cancer patient sit in an unknown city hospital for 5 hours bleeding waiting for help and sent home still bleeding. 

CAR-T cell therapy for South Australia cancer patients need to be available here. So people can fight for their lives surrounded by their families, their loved ones and their home. 

T-cells are removed from the patient, shipped to America where they are re-engineered as cancer fighting cells. They make their way back to Australia and then re-infused into the patient where the re-engineered cells latch onto the cancer mass and attack it physically. Side affects include swelling of the internal organs including brain and spinal cord, with ICU admittance with most patients. As you can imagine, terrifying especially with the addition of being away from your loved ones and home.   

South Australia is the only mainland state without CAR-T cell therapy for cancer patients. All South Australians cancer patients who require this treatment must travel interstate for it. This is a third line cancer treatment where people fight for their lives away from their families, loved ones, and homes. I want to see a change so families don’t have to suffer as we have sending dad away for the fight of his life. 

Thank you ❤️